Chronological timeline of texts tagged with Right In Your Eyes
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The Hebrew idiom “right in your eyes” first appears in the Garden of Eden narrative, where Eve sees that the forbidden fruit is good and desirable. This moment introduces a recurring theme in the Hebrew Bible in which individuals rely on their own perception of what is right, often going wrong, and often in direct conflict with God.
Note: Dates shown in this timeline are approximate and based on scholarly estimates.
Back to Tag5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Genesis 3:6
Hebrew Bible
4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Genesis 16:6
Hebrew Bible
4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I gave my servant into your embrace, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her what is right in your eyes22.” Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the wilderness—the spring that is along the road to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Genesis 21:12
Hebrew Bible
10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!” 11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be evil in your eyes20 about the boy or your slave wife. Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Deuteronomy 12:8
Hebrew Bible
6 And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 Both you and your families must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he has blessed you. 8 You must not do as we are doing here today, with everyone doing what is right in their eyes, 9 for you have not yet come to the final stop and inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. 10 When you do go across the Jordan River and settle in the land he is granting you as an inheritance and you find relief from all the enemies who surround you, you will live in safety.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Judges 10:15
Hebrew Bible
13 But since you abandoned me and worshiped other gods, I will not deliver you again. 14 Go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen! Let them deliver you from trouble!” 15 But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. You do what is right in your eyes25, but deliver us today!” 16 They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the Lord. Finally the Lord grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much. 17 The Ammonites assembled and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Judges 17:6
Hebrew Bible
4 When he gave the silver back to his mother, she took 200 pieces of silver to a silversmith, who made them into a carved image and a metal image. She then put them in Micah’s house. 5 Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest. 6 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what was right in his own eyes.14 7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite who had been temporarily residing among the tribe of Judah. 8 This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to find another place to live. He came to the Ephraimite hill country and made his way to Micah’s house.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
1 Samuel 1:23
Hebrew Bible
21 Then the man Elkanah and all his family went up to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up with them, because she had told her husband, “Not until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him so that he may appear before the Lord. And he will remain there from then on.” 23 Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what is right in your eyes55. Stay until you have weaned him. Only may the Lord fulfill his promise.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 Then she took him up with her as soon as she had weaned him, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She came to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, and the boy was with them.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
1 Samuel 29:9
Hebrew Bible
8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as good in my eyes16 as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’ 10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you. When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.”
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
2 Samuel 19:27
Hebrew Bible
25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I am lame. 27 But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever is right in your eyes. 28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! What further claim do I have to ask the king for anything?” 29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.”