What Does Matthew 15:31 Mean in the King James?

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.

Matthew 15:31 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The wonder is that what was blocked becomes visible as speech, soundness, movement, and sight.

THE MEANING

Wholeness appears as capacity returning: the mute speak, the maimed are sound, the lame walk, and the blind see. What the crowd witnesses gives weight to the God of Israel. The verse holds restoration as the uncovering of what affliction has covered.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

A damaged capacity is not necessarily a person’s final shape; here the visible condition does not get the last word.

THE ROOT

ὑγιεῖς

hygieis

GROWS FROM

ὑγι-

hygi-

Soundness, health, being whole

The word translated “whole” names soundness and health. Beside “maimed,” it shows a blocked capacity opening into action: the person is sound enough to move through the world again.

ALSO GROWS

hygiainō: to be sound or healthy

ὑγιαίνω

Its sense of soundness clarifies that “whole” describes restored capacity, not an added quality detached from the body.

hygeia: health

ὑγίεια

This related word makes the verse’s wholeness concrete: health is what becomes visible as speech, walking, and sight return.

THE PATTERN

Wholeness becomes visible when blocked capacities open, and what is seen gives weight to God.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Isaiah 35:5 · KJVSight and hearing opening make restoration visible through the very capacities that were blocked.

The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

Psalm 146:8 · KJVThe verse presents opened sight and lifted bodies as signs of the LORD’s restoring action.

And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Mark 7:37 · KJVThe deaf hearing and the mute speaking echo the same pattern of blocked faculties becoming active.

THE THREAD

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

Isaiah 35:6 · KJV

Isaiah names the lame man’s leap and the muted tongue’s song; this verse shows those same capacities opening as walking and speech, alongside sight. Its waters breaking into the wilderness picture restoration as release from a barren constraint.

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