[Lexicog] Re: open eyes

Mon Feb 4 11:20:03 UTC 2008

I am surprised that it is the SIL person who states"

I would have thought it unlikely for there to be a metaphorical
expression in English for an event that happens rarely or perhaps never
at all in everyday experience.

In fact, as far as I am aware the King James version of the Bible uses the
expression several times for the process by which sight is restored, e.g.
"Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man"

I have copied below several texts which involve the opening of eyes, ears,
and mouth.

RESTORING SIGHT:

*Matthew 20:33<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=20&verse=33&version=9&context=verse>
*
They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be *opened*.

*Isaiah 35:5<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=35&verse=5&version=9&context=verse>
*
Then the eyes of the blind shall be *opened*, and the ears of the deaf shall
be unstopped.

*John 9:10<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=10&version=9&context=verse>
*
Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes *opened*?

*John 9:14<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=14&version=9&context=verse>
*
And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and *opened* his eyes.

*John 9:17<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=17&version=9&context=verse>
*
They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath *
opened* thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

*John 9:21<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=21&version=9&context=verse>
*
But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath *opened* his eyes,
we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

*John 9:26<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=26&version=9&context=verse>
*
Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how *opened* he thine
eyes?

*John 9:30<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=30&version=9&context=verse>
*
The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that
ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath *opened* mine eyes.

*John 9:32<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=9&verse=32&version=9&context=verse>
*
Since the world began was it not heard that any man *opened* the eyes of one
that was born blind.

*John 11:37<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=11&verse=37&version=9&context=verse>
*
And some of them said, Could not this man, which *opened* the eyes of the
blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

IN THE ? BELOW IT REFERS TO EXTRA VISION/DISCERNMENT/KNOWLEDGE:

*2 Kings 6:17<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=12&chapter=6&verse=17&version=9&context=verse>
*
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may
see. And the LORD *opened* the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and,
behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha.
2 Kings 6:16-18<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=12&chapter=6&verse=16&end_verse=18&version=9&context=context>(in
Context) 2
Kings 6<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=12&chapter=6&version=9&context=chapter>(Whole
Chapter)
*
2 Kings 6:20<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=12&chapter=6&verse=20&version=9&context=verse>
*
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,
LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD
*opened*their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst
of Samaria.

*Matthew 9:30<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=9&verse=30&version=9&context=verse>
*
And their eyes were *opened*; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See
that no man know it.

*Luke 24:31<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=49&chapter=24&verse=31&version=9&context=verse>
*
And their eyes were *opened*, and they knew him; and he vanished out of
their sight.

BESTOWING THE POWER OF SPEECH

*Numbers 22:28<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=22&verse=28&version=9&context=verse>
*
And the LORD *opened* the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What
have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Numbers 22:27-29<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=22&verse=27&end_verse=29&version=9&context=context>(in
Context) Numbers
22<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=22&version=9&context=chapter>(Whole
Chapter)

OPEN EARS

*Psalm 40:6<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=40&verse=6&version=9&context=verse>
*
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou *opened*:
burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

*Isaiah 48:8<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=48&verse=8&version=9&context=verse>
*
Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that
thine ear was not *opened*: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very
treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

The Lord GOD hath *opened* mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither
turned away back.

RESTORING HEARING:

*Mark 7:35<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=48&chapter=7&verse=35&version=9&context=verse>
*
And straightway his ears were *opened*, and the string of his tongue was
loosed, and he spake plain.

-- 
Joseph T. Farquharson
Doctoral Fellow
Department of Linguistics
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
D-04103 Leipzig
Germany

Telephone: +49 341-3550-326
E-mail: jtfarquharson at gmail.com
E-mail: farquharson at eva.mpg.de
www.joseph-farquharson.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ph.D. candidate
Department of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy
University of the West Indies
Mon campus, Kingston 7
Jamaica
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