BIBLE VERSE EYE FOR AN EYE FREE

Many of the alleys later became streets or walks. Even after the game lost popularity, use of the word 'mall' to refer to the alleys survived. The French also played the game and called it 'pallemaille,' which became 'pall-mall' when the English adopted the game in the 17th century.Įventually the word 'mall' was used to refer to the alley on which the game was played.

BIBLE VERSE EYE FOR AN EYE FREE

Question: My teenage children spend a good deal of their free time at 'the mall.' It got me wondering, just where does the word 'mall' come from?Īnswer: Our word 'mall' derives from a 16th-century Italian game called 'pallamaglio.' The game involved driving a wooden 'palla,' or ball, with a 'maglio,' or mallet, through an iron ring at the end of an alley. In early English translations of the Bible, however, the phrase appears as 'apple of his eye.' This probably developed from the Anglo-Saxon word 'arppel,' meaning both 'apple' and 'pupil.' Thus the phrase developed into 'apple of one's eye' and retained the meaning of something treasured. The first use of the phrase appears in Deuteronomy 32:10, which reads 'He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.' A more literal translation of the Hebrew is actually 'little man of his eye,' which probably refers to the reflection of oneself that one sees in the eye of another person. The phrase is from the Bible, in which it appears in four books of The Old Testament: Deuteronomy, Psalms, Proverbs and Lamentations. Thus, when you call someone the 'apple of your eye,' you are telling them that they are cherished. Since the pupil is essential to vision, it was held to be something very precious. In ancient times, the pupil was believed to be a round, solid object comparable to an apple. We should not seek vengeance or seek to repay someone in the same way or magnitude they harmed us (Romans 12:21).Question: Can you explain the origin of the phrase 'apple of my eye'? What is the apple of your eye, anyway?Answer: The idiom 'apple of one's eye' actually refers to the pupil of the eye.

Governments, if they want to administer fair and just punishment, should also follow God's laws. God will repay those who do wrong using the same principle of fairness expressed in his law (Matthew 7:2, Luke 6:38, Colossians 3:25, etc.). The ultimate Biblical meaning of 'eye for eye' is clear. If possible, as much as is your part, be at peace with all men.īeloved, do not avenge yourselves rather, leave this to God’s wrath for it is written, ''Vengeance is Mine! I will recompense,' says the Lord.' (Romans 12:17 - 19). He also repeated Christ's words that we should not avenge ourselves.ĭo not render to anyone evil for evil, but be prepared to do what is right in the sight of all men. Paul states, in his letter to the Christians in Rome, that authorities have the right and responsibility to retaliate against evil (Romans 13:1, 3 - 4). Was he teaching that the government of a nation had no right to punish evil? The Apostle Paul did not think so. Some people wonder about Jesus' meaning, in his well-known Sermon on the Mount, he stated, 'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. God's law delineates principles of fairness and a limitation of punishment that should be used by nations to govern their people. It is the responsibility of the governing authorities, not individual citizens, to carry out penalties for criminal offenses. The Bible prohibits people from taking an 'eye' as personal vengeance upon another human (Psalm 94:1, Romans 12:19). Can you imagine the chaos in society that would occur if we allowed people to carry out such penalties based on their own will? Verse 16 of Exodus 21 states that whoever kidnaps a person should also be killed. These and other verses delineate a principle on how the nation of Israel (or any government) should administer justice for its people as a whole.įor example, also in Exodus 21, it states, 'Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death' (Exodus 21:15). In context, the meaning of the above verse is that justice should not be meted out by individuals based solely on their own authority. If she not only loses her unborn child, but is also injured, then the 'eye for eye' principal of justice is stated.Īnd if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. If a pregnant woman accidently lost her unborn baby due to men fighting, but she herself was unharmed, the men would be liable to pay her an amount determined by the husband and the nation's judges.

Bible verse eye for an eye