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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Leviticus 19:14

Thou shalt not curse the deafe, nor put a stumbling blocke before the blind, but shalt feare thy God: I am the Lord.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blind;   Deafness;   Fear of God;   Justice;   Malice;   Stumbling;   Thompson Chain Reference - Blind, the;   Blindness-Vision;   Deafness;   Deafness-Hearing;   The Topic Concordance - Curses;   Fear;   Stumbling/slipping;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Blindness;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Curse;   Disease;   Weights;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Blind;   Curse;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Blindness;   Gaal;   Law;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Blindness;   Deafness;   Ethics;   Leviticus;   Pentateuch;   Stumbling Block;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Ethics;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Medicine;   Poverty;   Priests and Levites;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Stumbling Block,;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Blindness;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Blind;   Stumbling (block and stone);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Blindness;   Curse;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Assassination;   Blindness;   Deaf;   Fear;   Leviticus;   Offence;   Stumbling-Block;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Blindness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anathema;   Blind, the, in Law and Literature;   Commandments, the 613;   Cursing;   Ethics;   Fear of God;   Sidra;   Usury;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
King James Version
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord .
Lexham English Bible
You shall not curse the deaf, and you shall not put a stumbling block before a blind person, but you shall revere your God; I am Yahweh.
New Century Version
You must not curse a deaf person or put something in front of a blind person to make him fall. But you must respect your God. I am the Lord .
New English Translation
You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear your God; I am the Lord .
Amplified Bible
'You shall not curse a deaf man nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God [with profound reverence]; I am the LORD.
New American Standard Bible
'You shall not curse a person who is deaf, nor put a stumbling block before a person who is blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou shalt not curse the deafe, neither put a stumbling blocke before the blinde, but shalt feare thy God: I am the Lord.
Legacy Standard Bible
You shall not curse a deaf man nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh.
Contemporary English Version
I am the Lord your God, and I command you not to make fun of the deaf or to cause a blind person to stumble.
Complete Jewish Bible
"‘Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way of a blind person; rather, fear your God; I am Adonai .
Darby Translation
Thou shalt not revile a deaf person, and thou shalt not put a stumbling-block before a blind one; but thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
"You must not curse anyone who is deaf. You must not do anything to make a blind person fall. But you must respect your God. I am the Lord .
English Standard Version
You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord .
George Lamsa Translation
You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.
Good News Translation
Do not curse the deaf or put something in front of the blind so as to make them stumble over it. Obey me; I am the Lord your God.
Christian Standard Bible®
Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you are to fear your God; I am the Lord.
Literal Translation
You shall not revile the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind; for you shall revere your God. I am Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou shalt not curse the deaf. Thou shalt put no stomblynge blocke before ye blinde, but shalt feare thy God: for I am the LORDE.
American Standard Version
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind; but thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.
Bible in Basic English
Do not put a curse on those who have no hearing, or put a cause of falling in the way of the blind, but keep the fear of your God before you: I am the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thou shalt not despise the deafe, neither put a stumblyng blocke before the blynde, but shalt feare thy God: I am the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but thou shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thou shalt not revile the deaf, neither shalt thou put a stumbling-block in the way of the blind; and thou shalt fear the Lord thy God: I am the Lord your God.
English Revised Version
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but thou shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you are to fear your God. I am the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou schalt not curse a deef man, nether thou schalt sette an hurtyng bifor a blynd man; but thou schalt drede thi Lord God, for Y am the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
`Thou dost not revile the deaf; and before the blind thou dost not put a stumbling block; and thou hast been afraid of thy God; I [am] Jehovah.
Update Bible Version
You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God: I am Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I [am] the LORD.
World English Bible
You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God: I am Yahweh.
New King James Version
You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
New Living Translation
"Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord .
New Life Bible
Do not say bad things against a man who cannot hear. Do not put something in the way of a man who cannot see. But fear your God. I am the Lord.
New Revised Standard
You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not speak evil of the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind: but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
THE MESSAGE
"Don't curse the deaf; don't put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God .
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.

Contextual Overview

11 Ye shall not steale, neither deale falsly, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not sweare by my Name falsly, neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God: I am the Lord. 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired, shal not abide with thee all night, vntill the morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deafe, nor put a stumbling blocke before the blind, but shalt feare thy God: I am the Lord. 15 Ye shall doe no vnrighteousnes in iudgement; thou shalt not respect the person of the poore, nor honour the person of the mightie: but in righteousnesse shalt thou iudge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt not goe vp and downe as a tale-bearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sinne vpon him. 18 Thou shalt not auenge nor beare any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe: I am the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not curse: Deuteronomy 27:18, Romans 12:14, Romans 14:13, 1 Corinthians 8:8-13, 1 Corinthians 10:32, Revelation 2:14

fear: Leviticus 19:32, Leviticus 25:17, Genesis 42:18, Nehemiah 5:15, 1 Peter 1:17, 1 Peter 2:17

Reciprocal: 1 Corinthians 8:9 - a stumblingblock

Cross-References

Genesis 19:4
But before they lay downe, the men of the citie, euen the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and yong, all the people from euery quarter.
Genesis 19:8
Behold now, I haue two daughters, which haue not knowen man; let mee, I pray you, bring them out vnto you, and doe ye to them, as is good in your eyes: onely vnto these men do nothing: for therefore came they vnder the shadow of my roofe.
Genesis 19:12
And the men said vnto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? sonne in law, and thy sonnes, and thy daughters, and whatsoeuer thou hast in the citie, bring them out of this place.
Genesis 19:14
And Lot went out, and spake vnto his sonnes in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get yee out of this place: for the LORD wil destroy this citie: but hee seemed as one that mocked, vnto his sonnes in law.
Genesis 19:17
And it came to passe, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life, looke not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plaine: escape to the mountaine, lest thou bee consumed.
Genesis 19:22
Haste thee, escape thither: for I cannot doe any thing till thou bee come thither: therefore the name of the citie was called Zoar.
Genesis 19:28
And he looked toward Sodome and Gomorrah, & toward all the land of the plaine, and beheld, and loe, the smoke of the countrey went vp as the smoke of a furnace.
Genesis 19:30
And Lot went vp out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountaine, and his two daughters with him: for hee feared to dwell in Zoar, and he dwelt in a caue, he and his two daughters.
Exodus 9:21
And he that regarded not the word of the Lord, left his seruants and his cattell in the field.
Exodus 12:31
And hee called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise vp, and get you forth from amongst my people, both you and the children of Israel: and goe, serue the Lord, as ye haue said.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou shalt not curse the deaf,.... Who are naturally so, born deaf, or become so through some accident, and cannot hear what is objected to them, and they are cursed for; and so cannot reply in their own defence, and remove the calumny cast upon them, if it be such which is the cause of their being cursed; and therefore there is something mean and base as well as wicked in cursing such: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, "him that heareth not", and respects any absent person who is not within the hearing of the curse, and so equally incapable of answering for himself as a deaf man: Gersom observes, that this is a caution not to curse any Israelite; for if we are cautioned, says he, not to curse a deaf man who hears not, and therefore cannot be moved at it, much less should we curse him that is not deaf, from whence quarrels and fightings arise:

nor put a stumblingblock before the blind: to cause him to fall; and in this negative is implied, that a man should be serviceable and helpful to the blind as much as may be; as to lead, and guide, and direct them in the way, and not put them out of it, as well as not do anything to cause them to stumble in it; Jarchi and Ben Gersom interpret this figuratively, of ignorant persons imposed upon by the bad advice of others: on the other hand, agreeably to this sense, Job says, he was "eyes to the blind", Job 29:15; gave good advice to the ignorant, instructed them what ways and methods to take to do themselves justice, or obtain it, which otherwise they knew not:

but shalt fear thy God: who, as Aben Ezra observes, can punish thee by making thee deaf and blind also; by striking them with deafness and blindness at once; wherefore the awe and fear of God should be on persons, and make them cautious and fearful how they abused those in such circumstances:

I [am] the Lord; the Lord God, omnipresent and omniscient, that hears when the deaf are cursed, though they do not; and sees the stumblingblocks laid before the blind, and knows who laid them, though they do not, and will revenge such abuses and injuries: the apostle seems to have respect to this law in Romans 14:13.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The meaning appears to be, “Thou shalt not utter curses to the deaf because he cannot hear thee, neither shalt thou put a stumbling-block in the way of the blind because he cannot see thee (compare Deuteronomy 27:18), but thou shalt remember that though the weak and poor cannot resist, nor the deaf hear, nor the blind see, God is strong, and sees and hears all that thou doest.” Compare Job 29:15.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 19:14. Thou shalt not curse the deaf — Or speak evil of him, because he cannot hear, and so cannot vindicate his own character.

Nor put a stumbling-block before the blind — He who is capable of doing this, must have a heart cased with cruelty. The spirit and design of these precepts are, that no man shall in any case take advantage of the ignorance, simplicity, or inexperience of his neighbour, but in all things do to his neighbour as he would, on a change of circumstances, that his neighbour should do to him.


 
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