John 9:8

8 The neighbours therefore, and those who used to see him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that was sitting and begging?

John 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

John 9:8

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen
him
For it seems the blind man was not a stranger, one that came out of the country to the city to beg; but a native of Jerusalem, that had long lived in a certain neighbourhood in it, and was well known to be what he was;

that he was blind;
the Alexandrian copy, and one of Beza's exemplars, and the Vulgate Latin version read, "that he was a beggar"; to which agree the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions: wherefore they

said, is this not he that sat and begged?
they particularly remark his begging posture; he was not laid all along, as the lame man in ( Acts 3:2 ) ; nor did he go from door to door, as others were used to do, but he sat in some certain place, as blind men generally did; see ( Matthew 20:30 ) .

John 9:8 In-Context

6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud of the spittle, and put the mud, as ointment, on his eyes.

7 And he said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore and washed, and came seeing.

8 The neighbours therefore, and those who used to see him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that was sitting and begging?

9 Some said, It is he; others said, No, but he is like him: *he* said, It is I.

10 They said therefore to him, How have thine eyes been opened?