In the biblical context, the term "eyelid" is often used metaphorically to convey vigilance, awareness, and divine observation. The eyelid, a small yet significant part of the human anatomy, serves as a protective covering for the eye, symbolizing the need for spiritual alertness and the guarding of one's heart and mind.

Biblical References:

1. Proverbs 6:4 · "Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids."
This verse is part of a passage that warns against laziness and urges diligence. The mention of eyelids here emphasizes the importance of staying spiritually awake and alert, avoiding complacency in one's spiritual duties.

2. Proverbs 4:25 · "Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead."
While not directly mentioning eyelids, this verse implies the role of the eyes and, by extension, the eyelids in maintaining focus and direction. It encourages believers to keep their spiritual vision clear and undistracted.

3. Psalm 11:4 · "The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men."
Although the term "eyelid" is not explicitly used, the imagery of God's eyes watching closely suggests a divine vigilance that never slumbers nor closes its eyelids. This portrays God's constant awareness and oversight of human actions.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the eyelid can symbolize the thin veil between awareness and ignorance, vigilance and negligence. The act of closing one's eyelids can represent a willful ignorance or neglect of spiritual responsibilities, while open eyelids signify readiness and attentiveness to God's will.

Spiritual Vigilance:

The metaphor of the eyelid serves as a reminder for believers to remain spiritually vigilant. Just as eyelids protect the eyes from harm, spiritual vigilance guards the heart from sin and temptation. The call to keep one's eyelids open is a call to be watchful in prayer, steadfast in faith, and alert to the movements of the Holy Spirit.

Divine Observation:

The concept of God's eyes, and by extension His eyelids, being ever-watchful is a recurring theme in Scripture. It reassures believers of God's omnipresence and His intimate involvement in the lives of His people. This divine observation is both a comfort and a call to live righteously, knowing that nothing escapes the watchful eyes of the Lord.

In summary, the biblical use of "eyelid" serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual alertness and divine vigilance, urging believers to remain watchful and faithful in their walk with God.(n.) The cover of the eye; that portion of movable skin with which an animal covers or uncovers the eyeball at pleasure.EYELID

i'-lid: Eyes and eyelids in Hebrew are sometimes used synonymously, as in the parallelism of Proverbs 4:25 (compare 6:4; 30:13):

"Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee."

(Compare Job 41:18 Psalm 11:4 Jeremiah 9:18.) The alluring power of the wanton woman is conceived of as centered in her eyes (Proverbs 6:25 Isaiah 3:16): "Neither let her take thee with her eyelids." Painting the eyelids was resorted to to intensify the beauty, antimony (which see) being used for darkening the lashes (2 Kings 9:30 Jeremiah 4:30 Ezekiel 23:40).

George B. Eager

8109. shemurah -- eyelid
... 8108, 8109. shemurah. 8110 . eyelid. Transliteration: shemurah Phonetic
Spelling: (shem-oo-raw') Short Definition: eyelids. Word ...
/hebrew/8109.htm - 6k

6079. aphaph -- eyelid
... 6078, 6079. aphaph. 6080 . eyelid. Transliteration: aphaph Phonetic Spelling:
(af-af') Short Definition: eyelids. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/6079.htm - 6k

Of one who was Lately Cured of a Disease in his Eye at the Relics ...
... In that monastery was a youth whose eyelid was disfigured by an unsightly tumour,
which growing daily greater, threatened the loss of the eye. ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xxxii of one who.htm

Tertullian Refers Again to the Question of the Origin of all These ...
... lustrous [236] stones"and taught men how to work them, and by and by instructed
them, among their other (instructions), in (the virtues of) eyelid-powder and ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter x tertullian refers again to.htm

Helps to Intercession
... ceasing? How can the eyelid without ceasing hold itself ready to protect the
eye? How can I breathe and feel and hear without ceasing? ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/helps to intercession.htm

Jesus is God, Following us Up.
... He doesn't seem to know enough to open them. And sometimes he will not
open them. For the hinge of the eyelid is in the will. And ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/jesus is god following us.htm

A Rationale of Sleep, of Yawning, and of Dreams .
... are pressed upon by the eyelids when some leaden instrument [1638] , as it were
(I mean such a weight as that I have spoken of), lets down the eyelid upon the ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/xiii a rationale of sleep.htm

Compendious Statement of the Doctrines of the Perat??.
... This, he says, is what is spoken: "I am the door." [506] And he transfers (those
marks), he says, [507] to those who close the eyelid, as the naphtha drawing ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xii compendious statement of the.htm

Evening Hymn
... Book First CXLIII EVENING HYMN. Never yet could careless Sleep On Love's watchful
eyelid creep: Never yet could gloomy Night. Damp His Eye's immortal light: ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cxliii evening hymn.htm

How the Slothful and the Hasty are to be Admonished.
... his journey, but goes not in advance of himself by looking forward; and therefore
the sooner falls, because he gives no heed through the eyelid of counsel to ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xv how the slothful.htm

Spiritual Resurrection
... Not yet had the loving finger closed the eyelid; there seemed to be a light still
lingering in her eye; like a lily just nipped off; she was as fair as life ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/spiritual resurrection.htm

1 Cor. xv. 47
... a moment," ie, in an instant of time: and to show this more clearly, "in the twinkling
of an eye," saith he, "while one can wink an eyelid." Further, because ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xlii 1 cor xv.htm

Eyelid
... animal covers or uncovers the eyeball at pleasure. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. EYELID. i'-lid: Eyes and eyelids in Hebrew are ...
/e/eyelid.htm - 7k

Eyelids (12 Occurrences)

/e/eyelids.htm - 9k

Lid (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) That which covers the opening of a vessel or box, etc.; a movable cover;
as, the lid of a chest or trunk. 2. (n.) The cover of the eye; an eyelid. ...
/l/lid.htm - 7k

Lash (2 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A stroke of satire or sarcasm; an expression or retort that cuts or gives
pain; a cut. 5. (n.) A hair growing from the edge of the eyelid; an eyelash. ...
/l/lash.htm - 8k

Tarsus (5 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A plate of dense connective tissue or cartilage in the eyelid of man and
many animals; -- called also tarsal cartilage, and tarsal plate. ...
/t/tarsus.htm - 30k

Eyelashes (1 Occurrence)

/e/eyelashes.htm - 6k

Eyepaint
... Eyelids, Eyepaint. Eyes . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia EYEPAINT. i'-pant.
See ANTIMONY; EYELID; KEREN-HAPPUCH. Eyelids, Eyepaint. Eyes . Reference ...
/e/eyepaint.htm - 6k

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