Evil Eye

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Evil Eye

EVIL EYE

(ra` `ayin, "evil of eye"; ophthalmos poneros):

The superstition of the influence of the "evil eye," so widely spread over the earth, has had a mighty influence on life and language in Palestine, though direct references to it are not frequent in the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 15:9; Deuteronomy 28:54, 56 Proverbs 23:6; Proverbs 28:22 Matthew 20:15 (compare Matthew 6:23 Luke 11:34); Mark 7:22). In the Bible the expression is synonymous with envy, jealousy and some forms of covetousness. In comparing Romans 1:29 with Mark 7:22 we find that ophthalmos poneros corresponds to phthonos. See Trench, New Testament Synonyms, under the word The eye of the envious (as also the tongue of the invidious by an apparently appreciative word, which, however, only disguises the strong desire of possessing the object of comment or of destroying it for its rightful owner) was supposed to have a baneful influence upon the wellbeing of others, especially of children. Therefore mothers bestowed constant care against the frustration of such fancied designs by means of innumerable sorts of charms. They often allowed their darlings to appear as unlovely as possible, through uncleanliness or rags, so as to spare them the harmful rising of envy in the hearts of others.

Lane, Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, gives perhaps the most accessible account of this superstition as held at the present day in Egypt, and Thomson, The Land and the Book, does the same for Palestine, while an equal amount of evidence might be collected from every other oriental country. Instances of the same superstition, though possibly slightly disguised, are by no means wanting among ourselves. Compare the expression, "green-eyed jealousy" (Othello, III, iii; Merchant of Venice, III, ii), etc.

For certain Biblical phrases referring to the "evil eye" see ENVY; EYE.

LITERATURE.

F. T. Elworthy, The Evil Eye, London, 1895.

H. L. E. Luering

Greek

940. baskaino -- to slander, hence by ext. to bewitch
... Verb Transliteration: baskaino Phonetic Spelling: (bas-kah'-ee-no) Short Definition:
I give the evil eye to, fascinate, bewitch, overpower Definition: I give ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/940.htm - 7k

Library

On a Single Eye
... is not single is evil,) "thy whole body shall be full of darkness." It is certain
there can be no medium between a single eye and an evil eye; for whenever we ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 118 on a single.htm

Galatians Chapter iii.
... And when you hear of jealousy in this place, and in the Gospel, of an evil eye,
which means the same, you must not suppose that the glance of the eye has any ...
/.../galatians chapter iii.htm

Rejection of the Tradition of the Elders.
... men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings,
wickedness, deceit, false witness, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/rejection of the tradition of.htm

Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
... b proceed,} ^a evil thoughts, ^b fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22;
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye [an envious eye ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxv jesus fails to attend.htm

Be not Deceived; God is not Mocked.
... heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter ii be not deceived.htm

Man is Endowed with the Faculty of Distinguishing Good and Evil ...
... Since God, therefore, gave [to man] such mental power (magnanimitatem) man knew
both the good of obedience and the evil of disobedience, that the eye of the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxix man is endowed with.htm

Appendix xvi. On the Jewish views About Demons' and the Demonised ...
... into a bed of cresses, and beat him with the jawbone of an ass' (Shabb 67 a). On
the other hand, it is recommended as a precaution against the evil eye to put ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix xvi on the jewish.htm

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
... "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness." "If thine
eye be evil:" " We see there is no medium between a single and an evil eye. ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 28 upon our lords.htm

Sixth Commandment
... proceed evil thoughts"adulteries"fornications"murders "thefts"covetousness"
wickedness"deceit"lasciviousness"an evil eye"blasphemy"pride ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/sixth commandment.htm

Philippians i. 11-Aug
... present. For did you hold money and the glory of this world to be nought,
you would not cast an evil eye on its possessors. But ...
/.../homily ii philippians i 11-aug.htm

Subtopics

Evil

Evil Eye

Evil for Good: David, to Uriah

Evil for Good: General Scriptures Concerning

Evil for Good: Israelites, to Moses

Evil for Good: Joseph Accuses his Brothers of Rendering

Evil for Good: Nabal Returns, to David

Evil for Good: Saul Returns, to David

Evil for Good: To Joab

Evil in Supporting Himself

Evil in the World