Proverbs 20:12 Eyes & Ears, YHWH Made Two

Hearing and Seeing YHWH

In the past we’ve looked at the Hebrew verb “to hear” (shama), but we haven’t looked at the Hebrew verb “to see” (ra’ah), partly because it’s so prolific, occurring over 1300 times in the Tanakh (Old Testament). We will look at ra’ah soon, but in the meantime, we’re going to deconstruct one proverb in the Bible that addresses the basis of hearing and seeing.

Truth be told, in my early days of reading Scripture the Proverbs never excited me. It seemed, to me, to be just a collection of pithy little comments. But I have since learned to see them as a treasured collection of God’s outline for good-living, in response to popular contemporary human behaviour. Many of these simple sayings have a deep well of meaning even though, at first glance, they may sound strange and unimpressive. Proverbs 20:12 fits into this camp: 

Proverbs 20:12

The hearing ear and the seeing eye, YHWH has made both of them.

אזן שמעת ועין ראה יהוה עשה גם שניהם

Ozen shoma’at w-ayin ro’ah, YHWH asah gam sh’neyhem

Yes, we get it. God made our eyes and ears. Big deal. But let’s stop and use some critical thinking skills. Hyper-literally this would read:

The ear hearing and the eye seeing, YHWH has also made two.

What is being said here? YHWH created and made us. We have one heart, one brain, one mouth, but the ear and the eye, He made two. The duplicating of things usually indicates an emphasis in Hebrew. For example, in Genesis 2:17 we read:

“…but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.”

In this particular translation (NASB), YHWH tells Eve and Adam that if they take and consume the poison (eating from the forbidden tree) they will “certainly die”. In Hebrew the phrase is, they will “die die”. 

“…on the day that you eat from it you will die die.”

This doubling of the word makes an emphatic point: devouring that which God did not intend for us to consume will lead to a double death, a downfall that is eternal. It is a death consignment, but it comes at our own choosing. Seeing and taking something that God did not intend for us to take may cause us to be blind to what God really wants us to see.

Double eyes and double ears puts an emphasis on their skills… seeing the heart of something and hearing the truth is of utmost importance to the Creator. This isn’t necessarily about physicality. God loves and treasures those who are blind and deaf as equally to those with strong vision and finite hearing. Listening to God’s word and instructions, and seeing His intentions is the true calling of ears and eyes and they don’t have to be 100% functional to do that.

We’re often tempted to read the Proverbs in little snippets, like a sound-bite, but it’s always important to look at what’s around it for contrast and clarification:

Proverbs 20:12-13

The hearing ear and the seeing eye, YHWH has also made two. Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread. 

We are meant to really hear and really see the word of God. If we sleep through it, our eyes are closed and our ears are silenced. As a result our lives will be diminished. But if we open our eyes and “see see”, we will be fulfilled… our Spiritual hunger will be satisfied and our purpose will be made clear.

Also, keep in mind, that we’re not the only ones to see and hear:

Psalms 94:8-9, 11

Understand, you who are senseless among the people; and fools, when will you gain insight? He who fastened the ear, does He not hear? Or He who formed the eye, does He not see?…YHWH knows human thoughts, that they are mere breath.

We are being watched, folks. God sees us, and hears us, and knows our thoughts. We are made to be the Image-bearers of God, and we are to be held accountable for our actions. This is why we are to keep our ears and eyes open…  so we can be a good reflection of the One who sees us and hears us and, yet, still loves us. 

It’s not surprising that Yeshua (Jesus) healed the blind and the deaf throughout His ministry on earth. But these actions weren’t just about giving people their physical abilities back, it was about fulfilling prophecy and changing hearts and minds:

Matthew 11:2-6

Now while in prison, John [the Baptiser] heard about the works of Messiah, and he sent word by his disciples, and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for someone else?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is any person who does not take offense at Me.”

These miracles gifted the individual with something they were missing but it gave them more than just re-established abilities, it opened their hearts to the working power of YHWH. It pointed them to the Kingdom:

Isaiah 29:18

On that day those who are deaf will hear words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of those who are blind will see.

Along with the two eyes and ears, we are also given two feet to walk in this world, and two hands to serve in this world. Today the Christian church celebrates Easter Sunday, reminding us that Yeshua died, His two hands and two feet nailed to the cross.

Luke 23:46

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My Spirit.” And having said this, He died.

Yeshua gave up His breath and sent it home to YHWH. We are also given two lungs to breathe in and breathe out the breath/wind/Spirit of God in order to live well and share God’s love to every creature on this planet. However, like Yeshua, we are all destined to take one last breath on this earth. The difference is, Yeshua changed the narrative so that when we inevitably go down to the grave we won’t stay there. We will be raised up in glory.

This holiday season I pray that you will be inspired to “hear hear” and “see see” the things that YHWH wants you to experience in your life. Dive into your Bibles, LISTEN to the Word of YHWH and SEE it for yourselves. It’s life-changing!

Next week: windows and floodgates