Blemish

blem´ish :

(1) מוּם , mūm , מאוּם , me'ūm ; μῶμος , mō̇mos ̌ : This word signifies no particular skin disease, as has been supposed; but is used generally for any and all disfiguring affections of the skin, such as eczema, herpes, scabies, etc., even for scratches and scars, as in Leviticus 24:19 , Leviticus 24:20; and thence for moral defects, as in Ephesians 5:27 . The existence of a blemish in a person of priestly descent prevented him from the execution of the priestly office; similarly an animal fit for sacrifice was to be without blemish. In the New Testament Christ is presented as the antitype of a pure and ritually acceptable sacrifice "as a lamb without blemish and without spot" (Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19 ), and the disciples are admonished to be blameless, "without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27 ). Rarely the word is used to designate a reprobate person (2 Peter 2:13 ).

(2) Blemish in the eye, תּבלּל , tebhallul (from a root בּלל , bālal , "to overflow"; Arabic balla , balal , "to moisten"), cataract, white spots in the eye (Leviticus 21:20 ).