New English Translation
Isaiah 42:20
20You see many things, but don’t comprehend; their ears are open, but do not hear.”
Isaiah 42:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
- New International Version (NIV)You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”
Context of Isaiah 42:20
18“Listen, you deaf ones! Take notice, you blind ones! 19My servant is truly blind, my messenger is truly deaf. My covenant partner, the servant of the Lord, is truly blind. You see many things, but don’t comprehend; their ears are open, but do not hear.” 21The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice by magnifying his law and displaying it. 22But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits and held captive in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!”
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 42:20 word by word
רָא֥וֹת רַבּ֖וֹת וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמֹ֑ר פָּק֥וֹחַ אָזְנַ֖יִם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמָֽע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 42:20
- Isaiah 1:3An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.”
- Isaiah 48:6You have heard; now look at all the evidence! Will you not admit that what I say is true? From this point on I am announcing to you new events that are previously unrevealed and you do not know about.
- Numbers 14:22For all the people have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted me now these ten times, and have not obeyed me,
- Deuteronomy 4:9Again, however, pay very careful attention, lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren.
- Deuteronomy 29:2Moses proclaimed to all Israel as follows: “You have seen all that the Lord did in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, all his servants, and his land.
- Nehemiah 9:10You performed awesome signs against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians had acted presumptuously against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day.
- Psalms 106:7Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds, they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love, and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea.
- Psalms 107:43Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things! Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!
- John 9:37Jesus told him, “You have seen him; he is the one speaking with you.” [
- John 11:37But some of them said, “This is the man who caused the blind man to see! Couldn’t he have done something to keep Lazarus from dying?”
- Isaiah 58:2They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
- Jeremiah 42:2They said to him, “Please grant our request and pray to the Lord your God for all those of us who are still left alive here. For, as you yourself can see, there are only a few of us left out of the many there were before.
- Ezekiel 33:31They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.
- Mark 6:19So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not
- Acts 28:22But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know that people everywhere speak against it.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 42:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Seeing many things "Thou hast seen indeed" - The text has רבית ראית raith rabith, which the Masoretes in the marginal Keri have corrected to רבות ראות reoth rabboth ; as indeed one hundred and seven MSS., and five editions, now have it in the text. This was probably the reading of most of the MSS. of their time; which, though they approved of it, out of some superstition they would not admit into their standard text. But these wretched critics, though…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Seeing many things - That is, the people, the Jews, spoken of here as the servants of God. They had had an opportunity of observing many things pertaining to the law, the government, and the dealing of Yahweh. They had often witnessed his interposition in the days of calamity, and he often rescued them from peril. These things they could not but have observed, much as they had chosen to disregard the lessons which they were calculated to convey. But thou…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting, nor escaping God's anger. See…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20The Israelites who ignored God's words and actions became spiritually blind and deaf (see Isaiah 6:9–10). They knew the truth from God's word and the prophets, but their closed minds refused to respond.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. observest--Thou dost not keep them. The "many things" are the many proofs which all along from the first God had given Israel of His goodness and His power (De 4:32-38; 29:2-4; Psa 78:1-72; 105:1-45). he--transition from the second to the third person. "Opening ... ears," that is, though he (Israel) hath his ears open (see on Is 6:10). This language, too (see on Is 42:19), applies to Messiah as Jehovah's servant (Is 50:5; Psa 40:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 42:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries