John 9:1

Καὶ παράγων εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς.

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 2532; Kai; Καὶ; And; Conj

Strongs 3855; paragōn; παράγων; he who is passing by; V-PPA-NMS

Strongs 3708; eiden; εἶδεν; perceived; V-AIA-3S

Strongs 444; anthrōpon; ἄνθρωπον; a man; N-AMS

Strongs 5185; typhlon; τυφλὸν; blind; Adj-AMS

Strongs 1537; ek; ἐκ; from out; Prep

Strongs 1079; genetēs; γενετῆς; birth; N-GFS

RBT Hebrew Literal:

γενετής - begetter: He is Born to Her Dead/Blind

And he who is passing close by, he saw a man darkened by smoke ("smoke-blind")^88b from out of a begetter.^88c

"Who are you?"
"I don't know, I can't see."

"I have made the blind to walk within the Road they have not seen, within the Trodden Paths they have not seen. I am making them tread. I am setting a dark place in front of the faces of themselves, to be light..." (Isaiah 42:16 RBT)

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And passing by, he saw a man blind from birth.

LITV Translation:
And passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.

ESV Translation:
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

Footnotes

88b

Blinded by Smoke

Strongs NT #5185. The word "τυφλός" (typhlós) indeed comes from the Greek verb "τύφω" (týphō), Strongs NT 5187 which means "to raise a smoke" or "to darken by smoke."

Blinded by Conceit, Puffed Up

Strongs NT 5187 τυφόω, (tuphoó) τύφω: passive, perfect τετυφωμαι; 1 aorist participle τυφωθείς; (τῦφος, smoke; pride); properly, to raise a smoke, to wrap in a mist; used only metaphorically:

1. to make proud, puff up with pride, render insolent; passive, to be puffed up with haughtiness or pride, 1 Timothy 3:6 (Strabo, Josephus, (Diogenes Laërtius, others).
2. to blind with pride or conceit, to render foolish or stupid: 1 Timothy 6:4; perfect participle beclouded, besotted, 2 Timothy 3:4 (Demosthenes, Aristotle, Polybius, Plutarch, others).

This association with smoke likely originates from the idea that smoke can obscure visibility or darken one's surroundings.

In ancient Greek, "τυφλός" is used to describe someone who is blind, lacking the sense of sight. This usage reflects the metaphorical connection between darkness or obscurity (symbolized by smoke) and the inability to see. The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, often uses "τυφλός" to translate the Hebrew word עִוֵּר (ʿivvēr), which also means "blind."

So, "τυφλός" carries the dual connotation of being both physically blind and metaphorically darkened or obscured, which reflects its etymological roots in the concept of smoke.

88c

The term γενετῆς (genitive γενετῆς) refers not to the event of birth but to its agent — the begetter or progenitor, typically male. It contrasts with γένεσις (birth, origin) and γέννησις (act of begetting), both of which denote processes or events rather than persons. The distinction is crucial in genealogical or theological contexts, where the nuance between originator and origin bears interpretive weight.

(cf. LSJ γενετῆς)

 

 

genetic