Maimed
Jump to: ISBEWebster'sConcordanceThesaurusGreekHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
The term "maimed" refers to individuals who have been physically injured or disfigured, often resulting in the loss of a limb or other body part. In biblical times, being maimed could significantly impact a person's social and religious life, as physical wholeness was often associated with ritual purity and societal participation.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the concept of being maimed is often associated with the laws concerning sacrifices and the priesthood. Leviticus 21:18-20 states, "No man who has any defect may approach: no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; no man who has a broken foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle." This passage highlights the requirement for physical perfection in those who served as priests, reflecting the holiness and perfection of God.

Furthermore, animals offered in sacrifice were also required to be without blemish. Leviticus 22:22 instructs, "You are not to present to the LORD an animal that is blind, injured, maimed, or has a running sore, festering rash, or scabs. You are not to place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the LORD." This requirement underscores the importance of offering the best to God, symbolizing purity and devotion.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, Jesus' ministry often involved healing the maimed, demonstrating His compassion and divine authority. Matthew 15:30-31 records, "Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them. The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel." Jesus' healing of the maimed not only restored physical wholeness but also reintegrated individuals into the community, allowing them to participate fully in religious and social life.

The spiritual implications of being maimed are also addressed in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 18:8 , Jesus says, "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire." This hyperbolic statement emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which one should go to avoid it, prioritizing spiritual health over physical wholeness.

Theological Significance

Theologically, the concept of being maimed can be seen as a metaphor for the brokenness of humanity due to sin. Just as Jesus healed the physically maimed, He also offers spiritual healing and restoration. The physical healings performed by Jesus serve as a foretaste of the ultimate restoration and wholeness promised in the Kingdom of God, where there will be no more pain or suffering (Revelation 21:4).

In summary, the biblical treatment of the maimed reflects the broader themes of purity, sacrifice, compassion, and redemption. Through the lens of Scripture, the maimed are not only recipients of physical healing but also symbols of the transformative power of God's grace and the hope of complete restoration in Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(imp. & p. p.) of Maim.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MAIMED

mam'-d (charuts; kullos, anaperos): The condition of being mutilated or rendered imperfect as the result of accident, in contrast to congenital malformation. An animal thus affected was declared to be unfit to be offered in sacrifice as a peace offering (Leviticus 22:22); although under certain conditions a congenitally deformed animal might be accepted as a free-will offering, apparently the offering of a maimed animal was always prohibited (Leviticus 22:23, 24). The use of such animals in sacrifice was one of the charges brought against the Jews of his time by Malachi (1:8-14). The word is also used to denote those who were so mutilated. Among those made whole by our Lord in Galilee were the maimed as well as the halt (Matthew 15:30).

Figuratively the casting off of any evil habit or distracting condition which interferes with the spiritual life is called "maiming" (Matthew 18:8 Mark 9:43); with this may be taken the lesson in Matthew 19:12. In these passages "maimed" (kullos) is used of injuries of the upper limb, and cholos of those affecting the feet, rendering one halt. Hippocrates, however, uses kullos for a deformation of the legs in which the knees are bent so far outward as to render the patient lame; while he applies the term cholos as a generic name for any distortion, and in one place uses it to describe a mutilation of the head (Prorrhetica, 83). The maimed and the halt are among the outcasts who are to be brought into the gospel feast according to the parable (Luke 14:13-21).

Alexander Macalister

MAINSAlL

man'-sal.

See SHIPS AND BOATS.

Greek
374b. anapeiros -- maimed.
... anapeiros. 375 . maimed. Transliteration: anapeiros Short Definition: maimed.
Word Origin alt. form of anaperos; from ana and peros (maimed) Definition maimed ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/374b.htm - 5k

5560. cholos -- lame, halt, maimed
... lame, halt, maimed. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: cholos Phonetic Spelling:
(kho-los') Short Definition: lame, deprived of a foot Definition: lame ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5560.htm - 6k

376. anaperos -- to leap up
... to leap up. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: anaperos Phonetic Spelling:
(an-ap'-ay-ros) Short Definition: crippled, maimed Definition: crippled ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/376.htm - 5k

2948. kullos -- crippled
... word Definition crippled NASB Word Usage crippled (4). maimed. From the same as
kulioo; rocking about, ie Crippled (maimed, in feet or hands) -- maimed. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2948.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
2782. charats -- to cut, sharpen, decide
... Definition to cut, sharpen, decide NASB Word Usage act promptly (1), bark* (1),
decided (1), decisive (1), decreed (3), determined (3), maimed (1), uttered (1 ...
/hebrew/2782.htm - 6k

5223. nakeh -- smitten, stricken
... contrite, lame. Smitten, ie (literally) maimed, or (figuratively) dejected --
contrite, lame. 5222, 5223. nakeh. 5224 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5223.htm - 6k

333. Ater -- a leader in Isr.
... NASB Word Usage Ater (5). Ater. From 'atar; maimed; Ater, the name of three Israelites
-- Ater. see HEBREW 'atar. 332, 333. Ater. 334 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/333.htm - 6k

Library

None of These Answers Will You Give Us. You Turn to Other Things ...
... you suppose that what we feared was that we might rise without noses and ears, that
we should find that our genital organs would be cut off or maimed and that ...
/.../5 none of these answers.htm

Self-Mutilation for Self-Preservation
... enjoined, 'Cut them off and cast them from thee.' Then the solemn motive by which
it is enforced, 'It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than, being ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture b/self-mutilation for self-preservation.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... calamitous exchange, truly. For first, (I), The text thus maimed afforded
countenance to another form of misbelief. And next, (II ...
/.../chapter xiv causes of corruption.htm

Compel them to Come In
... text, you will find an amplification of this command: "Go out quickly into the streets
and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/compel them to come in.htm

And Jesus Departed Thence, and came to the Side of the Sea of ...
... [1607] And there came unto him great multitudes, having with them lame, and blind,
and dumb, and maimed, and many others, and [3] they cast them at the feet of ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xxiii and jesus departed.htm

Of the Occasion on which He Fed the Multitudes with the Seven ...
... And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them those that were lame, blind,
dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet, and He ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter l of the occasion on.htm

The Deaf Stammerer Healed and Four Thousand Fed.
... in their feelings had taken place since that day.] ^a 30 And there came unto him
great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxix the deaf stammerer healed.htm

Miracles and Multitudes Again.
... And there came unto him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb,
maimed, and many others, and they cast them down at his feet; and he healed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/miracles and multitudes again.htm

Dagon Before the Ark. Judg 5:4,5
... And brought the hateful idol low; Then self, like Dagon, broken, maimed,. ... Nor
ceases to oppose his will; Though but a maimed stump be left,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 26 dagon before the.htm

Of the Life and Miracles of Jesus, and Testimonies Concerning Them ...
... Nor was it enough that He gave strength to the feeble, soundness of body to the
maimed, health to the sick and languishing, unless He also raised the dead, as ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xv of the life and.htm

Thesaurus
Maimed (10 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Maim. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MAIMED. ... Among those made whole
by our Lord in Galilee were the maimed as well as the halt (Matthew 15:30). ...
/m/maimed.htm - 11k

Lame (35 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:30 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute,
maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. ...
/l/lame.htm - 21k

Wen (1 Occurrence)
... WEN. Only in Leviticus 22:22, "maimed" or "having a wen (margin "sores"), or scurvy,"
for (yabbal), "running," hence, "a suppurating sore" (compare the Revised ...
/w/wen.htm - 7k

Rather (176 Occurrences)
... It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having
two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. ...
/r/rather.htm - 36k

Dumb (34 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were
lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet ...
/d/dumb.htm - 20k

Multitudes (72 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:30 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute,
maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. ...
/m/multitudes.htm - 26k

Causeth (209 Occurrences)
... Matthew 18:8 And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and
cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt ...
/c/causeth.htm - 38k

Causes (89 Occurrences)
... It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two
hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (WEB NAS RSV NIV). ...
/c/causes.htm - 33k

Crippled (15 Occurrences)
... It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two
hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (WEB WEY NAS NIV). ...
/c/crippled.htm - 11k

Stumble (89 Occurrences)
... It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two
hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. (WEB ASV YLT NAS). ...
/s/stumble.htm - 34k

Resources
Why won't God heal amputees? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible mean by "an eye for an eye"? | GotQuestions.org

Is hell literally a place of fire and brimstone? | GotQuestions.org

Maimed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Maimed (10 Occurrences)

Matthew 15:30
Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT RSV)

Matthew 15:31
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
(KJV WEY ASV WBS YLT RSV)

Matthew 18:8
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Mark 9:43
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Luke 14:13
But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind;
(WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT RSV)

Leviticus 21:18
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous,
(See JPS)

Leviticus 22:22
Blind, injured, maimed, having a wart, festering, or having a running sore, you shall not offer these to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Leviticus 24:20
breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him.
(See JPS)

Deuteronomy 23:1
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the assembly of Jehovah.
(See JPS)

Zechariah 11:16
For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Maimed

Related Terms

Main-sail

Branch (60 Occurrences)

Mediation

Mediator (7 Occurrences)

Galatians (2 Occurrences)

Olives (30 Occurrences)

Hezekiah (124 Occurrences)

Wing (18 Occurrences)

Trunk (3 Occurrences)

Design (84 Occurrences)

Mainstay (1 Occurrence)

Bay (8 Occurrences)

Body (562 Occurrences)

Beam (17 Occurrences)

Bethlehem (49 Occurrences)

Canals (5 Occurrences)

Caravan (8 Occurrences)

Arvad (2 Occurrences)

Arvadites (1 Occurrence)

Stem (18 Occurrences)

Nathan (42 Occurrences)

Taxing (3 Occurrences)

Tax (43 Occurrences)

Stoics (1 Occurrence)

Mystery (31 Occurrences)

Malchiel (3 Occurrences)

Romans (8 Occurrences)

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)

Siloah (1 Occurrence)

Creeds

Image (126 Occurrences)

Enrogel (4 Occurrences)

En-rogel (4 Occurrences)

Shelah (18 Occurrences)

Pentateuch

Languages (36 Occurrences)

Introduction (3 Occurrences)

Assur (2 Occurrences)

Sherghat

Nehelamite (4 Occurrences)

Jezebel (20 Occurrences)

Numbers (136 Occurrences)

Period (43 Occurrences)

Damascus (58 Occurrences)

Asshur (133 Occurrences)

Talmud

Cross (157 Occurrences)

Buying (12 Occurrences)

Siloam (4 Occurrences)

Philosophy (1 Occurrence)

Ebionites

Ebionism

Deuteronomy (1 Occurrence)

Maimed (10 Occurrences)

Thessalonica (8 Occurrences)

Judges (117 Occurrences)

Canonicity

Jonah (30 Occurrences)

Magician (5 Occurrences)

Sinai (38 Occurrences)

Thessalonians (6 Occurrences)

Revelation (52 Occurrences)

Magic (12 Occurrences)

Affliction (120 Occurrences)

Eden (19 Occurrences)

Ethics

Moses (9295 Occurrences)

I-iii

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)

Essenes

Virgin (62 Occurrences)

Samuel (129 Occurrences)

Purity (16 Occurrences)

Birth (357 Occurrences)

Palestine (1 Occurrence)

Creed

City

Galilee (73 Occurrences)

Maim
Top of Page
Top of Page