Eye of Horus in the Bible

There is no immediate notice of the Eye of Horus in the Bible. Although the Hebrews spent time in Egypt, and the figure of the eye is found in both peoples, there is no evidence of direct links between the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the beliefs of ancient Egypt.

However, the symbolism of the eye is present in both beliefs and share some similarities. Let's dive into the past and discover more!

 
Eye of Horus Pendant Necklace 

Similarities and differences between the Eye of Horus and the Eye in the Bible

Table of similarities

Theme	Eye of Horus	The Eye in the Bible
Protection	Both symbols are associated with protection	In the Bible, the eye is described as God's watchful eye, protecting and watching over his people
Symbolism	Both symbols have symbolic meanings, representing spiritual insight and perception	The eye in the Bible also represents God's knowledge and understanding

 

Table of differences

Theme	Eye of Horus	The Eye in the Bible
Origin	The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol	The Eye in the Bible is a metaphor used in various contexts throughout the text
Religion	The Eye of Horus is associated with the polytheistic religion of ancient Egypt	The Eye in the Bible is associated with the monotheistic religion of Judaism and Christianity
Physical representation	The Eye of Horus is usually depicted as a stylized human eye with markings representing the gods and goddesses	The Eye in the Bible is not physically depicted but is used as a metaphor in various contexts
Function	The Eye of Horus was primarily used as a symbol of protection and healing	The Eye in the Bible serves various functions, such as representing God's watchful eye, his knowledge and understanding, and as a symbol of judgment

 

The Eye of Horus in Ancient Egypt 

 

The Eye of Horus is an old Egyptian symbol that stands for security, great well-being, and great karma. It is frequently depicted as a falcon's eye, with a teardrop underneath it. The teardrop represents the blood that Horus shed in his fight with Set, the god of disorder.

The Eye of Horus is additionally connected to the sun and the moon. The sun was accepted to be Horus' correct eye, and the moon was accepted to be his left eye. The two eyes were said to represent adjust and congruity.

The Eye of Horus was regularly utilized as a defensive amulet. It was accepted to ward off fiendishness and bring great fortune to the wearer. The image was likewise utilized in old Egyptian medication. It was accepted that the Eye of Horus could recuperate the wiped out and harmed.
 

The Eye concept in the bible 

Proper sense

The eye is the main organ of perception, "the light of the body" (Mt 6:32).

It is often cited in proverbial expressions of everyday language (Ex 21:24, 1 Cor 2:9 12:16 etc.).

Its inestimable value is evoked in the expression: the apple of the eye (De 32:10, Ps 17:8, Zech 2:8); the Hebrew name of the apple literally means "the little man", alluding to the fact that one sees oneself reflected in the apple that one looks at closely.

The Bible mentions:

• The beauty of the eyes (Ge 29:17,1Sa 16:12, Ca 1:15 4:1 7:5)
• Their allure (Prov 6:35, Isa 3:16)
• The weeping they can shed (Jer 13:17; see Tears);
• The antimony that adorns them (2Ki 9:30, Jer 4:30; see Antimony);
• The blurred eyesight of the old men (in the apology of Ec 12: 5);
• The red eyes of the drinker (Ge 49:12, Prov 23:29);
• The eyewash that had made the medical school at Laodicea famous (Rev 3:18);
• The torture of the right eye gouged out to make it unfit for military service (1Sa 11:2, Zech 11:17), because the shield left the right side clear. See Blind.

Figurative meaning.

The eye is the most expressive revealer of feelings:

Pride (Ps 18:28 101:5, Prov 21:4) humility (Job 22:29), kindness (Prov 22:9) hardness (De 15:9, Isa 13:18), sadness (Job 17:7, La 1:16 3:51), mockery (Prov 30:17), envy and jealousy (see most of these words).

The eye welcomes temptation (Ge 3:6, Job 31:1); hence the expression "the lust of the eyes" (1Jn 2:16) and the graphic command to pluck out the eye that causes one to fall (Mt 5:28ff).

To God are attributed the all-seeing eyes (Ps 14:2, Eze 11:8, Mt 6:4-6,18), an anthropomorphic emblem of his omniscience, inseparable from his holiness (Hab 1:13).

This is the meaning of the "seven eyes" in the apocalyptic visions (Zech 4:10, Rev 5:6 1:14 2:18).

This divine gaze, according to the circumstances, is favorable to men (De 11:12, Ps 33:18 101:6, Esd 5:5, 1Pe 3:12) or indignant against them (Am 9:8).

In man, sin blinds and distorts the spiritual eye, the eyes of the soul (Isa 5:21, Mt 13:14 Lu 19:42 24:16, Jn 12:40, Ro 3:18 11:8-10,1Jn 2:11). God opens the eyes of believers to his work and person (2Ki 6:17, Ps 119:18 Eph 1:18).

Jesus, fulfilling the prophecies (Isa 29:18 35:5 42:7), came to make men aware of their moral and spiritual blindness and to heal them (Lu 4:19, Jn 9:39 20:29); he declared that purity of heart is the condition to see God (Mt 5:8)

- And Christian faith has as its guiding principle, not the material faculty of sight, but the faith that sees the invisible (2Co 5:7, cf. 2Co 4:18, Heb 11:1,27). See Sight.

The Trones (Angels) 

At the top of the heavenly hierarchy are the Thrones. Described in the Book of Ezekiel, they are also called Chariots, but also Ophanim (wheels) or galgalim (spheres) in the Hebrew tradition.

The appearance of the thrones, in fact, is no longer angelic: "I looked, and behold, there was a wheel near the four cherubim; and these wheels had the appearance of a chrysolite stone. When I looked at them, all four had the same shape; each wheel seemed to be in the middle of another wheel. As they went along, they went on their four sides, and they did not turn in their walk; but they went in the direction of the head. The whole body of the cherubim, their backs, their hands and their wings were filled with eyes, as well as the four wheels. I heard that the wheels were called whirlwinds." (Ezekiel, 10:9-13)

According to this description, the Thrones are wheels, turning one inside the other and covered with eyes. They function like chariots, driven by the cherubim, on which God rests. Daniel's vision (7:9) confirms this idea, placing these creatures under God's throne: "His throne was like flames of fire, and the wheels like burning fire.

The Seven eyes

Be that as it may, there are some likenesses between the Eye of Horus and the biblical image of the seven eyes of God.

Te book of Revelation makes mention of God's seven eyes. (5:6). They are thought to represent God's seven spirits as well as Asia's seven sites of worship.

Some scientists believe that the seven eyes of God are modeled on the Eye of Horus. They argue that the seven eyes represent God's all-seeing might. The Eye of Horus was also thought to be all-seeing. Horus was thought to be able to witness everything that transpired on the planet.

Other commentators believe that God's seven eyes are only a symbol for God's omniscience. They argue that the seven eyes do not refer to actual eyes, but rather to God's ability to perceive everything.

Regardless of whether or not the seven eyes of God are based on the Eye of Horus, the two images share some likenesses. They both refer to God's might and security. They both refer to the all-seeing concept of God.

Eye of Horus Earrings 

 

Differences and similarities between ancient Egypt and the Bible  

Table of similarities:

Theme	Ancient Egypt	The Bible
Afterlife	The Book of the Dead, containing spells and rituals for the afterlife	The Book of Revelation, describing the end of the world and judgment day
Judgment	Belief in a judgment of the soul after death	Belief in a judgment day at the end of the world
Resurrection	The story of Isis and Osiris, in which Osiris is killed and resurrected	The story of Jesus, in which he is crucified and resurrected
Plagues	The use of plagues as a punishment from the gods	The use of plagues as a punishment from God in the story of Exodus
Dreams	The use of dreams as a means of communication from the gods	The story of Joseph, in which he interprets Pharaoh's dreams
Monotheism	The belief in monotheism under Akhenaten	The belief in monotheism in the Hebrew Bible
Sacrifice	The use of animal sacrifice in religious rituals	The use of animal sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible
Afterlife destination	The belief in an afterlife in paradise	The belief in an afterlife in heaven in the New Testament
Symbolism	The use of hieroglyphs and symbols to convey religious ideas	The use of metaphors and symbols to convey religious ideas in the Bible

 

Table of differences:

Theme	Ancient Egypt	The Bible
Religion	Polytheistic religion, with many gods and goddesses	Monotheistic religion, with one God
Leadership	Emphasis on the role of pharaoh as a divine ruler	Emphasis on the role of prophets and leaders chosen by God
Divinity	Belief in the divinity of the pharaoh	Belief in the chosenness of the Israelites as a nation
Death customs	The use of mummification and elaborate tombs for the dead	The belief in the resurrection of the dead in the New Testament
Geography	The importance of the Nile River and its annual flooding	The importance of the land of Israel and its agricultural cycles
Writing system	The use of hieroglyphs as a writing system	The use of Hebrew and Greek as writing systems
Magic	The belief in the power of amulets and magic spells	The belief in the power of prayer and miracles in the Bible
Architecture	The use of monumental architecture, such as pyramids and temples	The focus on the tabernacle and later the temple as a center of worship

 

See Also : 

• Eye of Horus Vs Eye of Anubis
• Eye of Horus Vs Eye of Thoth