BLEMISH (מְאוּם, H4398, מוּם, H4583, μῶμος, G3700). Twenty-one times the two essentially identical forms of this word appear in the OT—sixteen in the Pentateuch, mainly in ritual prescriptions concerning physical defects in man and beast (e.g. Lev. 21:17; Num 19:2). In Proverbs 9:7 it refers to a physical injury, while in Job 11:15 apparently to moral defect or blame-worthiness. In the NT the Heb. word carried over by transliteration is employed to designate the sinlessness of Christ who “offered himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14; cf. 1 Pet 1:19), as also the blamelessness of good disciples of Christ (Eph 5:27). On the other hand, reprobate persons are called “blemishes” (2 Pet 2:13). Another Heb. word, תְּבַלֻּל, H9319, (perhaps related to a Sem. root for moistening or another meaning mixed, viz. BDB; Keil, Commentary, loc. cit.) and, appearing only once in the Bible, refers to blemish of the eye. There is no evidence that any of these words is to be interpreted specifically of any particular disease.