Isaiah 42:18-25
New International Version - UK
Israel blind and deaf
18 ‘Hear, you deaf;
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind but my servant,
and deaf like the messenger I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen.’
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake of his righteousness
to make his law great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and looted,
all of them trapped in pits
or hidden away in prisons.
They have become plunder,
with no one to rescue them;
they have been made loot,
with no one to say, ‘Send them back.’
23 Which of you will listen to this
or pay close attention in time to come?
24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the Lord,
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow his ways;
they did not obey his law.
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,
the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand;
it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.
Isaiah 42:18-25
New American Standard Bible
18 (A)Hear, you who are deaf!
And look, you who are blind, so that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (B)servant,
Or so deaf as My (C)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as one who is [a](D)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (E)You have seen many things, but you do not retain them;
Your ears are open, but no one hears.
21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the Law (F)great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and pillaged;
All of them are (G)trapped in [b]caves,
Or are (H)hidden away in prisons;
They have become plunder, with no one to save them,
And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”
23 Who among you will listen to this?
Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they (I)were not willing to walk,
And whose Law they did not (J)obey?
25 So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the (K)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he [c](L)paid no attention.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 42:19 Or the devoted one
- Isaiah 42:22 Or holes
- Isaiah 42:25 Lit did not lay it to heart
Isaiah 42:18-25
New Century Version
Israel Refused to Listen to the Lord
18 “You who are deaf, hear me.
You who are blind, look and see.
19 No one is more blind than my servant Israel
or more deaf than the messenger I send.
No one is more blind than the person I own
or more blind than the servant of the Lord.
20 Israel, you have seen much, but you have not obeyed.
You hear, but you refuse to listen.”
21 The Lord made his teachings wonderful,
because he is good.
22 These people have been defeated and robbed.
They are trapped in pits
or locked up in prison.
Like robbers, enemies have taken them away,
and there is no one to save them.
Enemies carried them off,
and no one said, “Bring them back.”
23 Will any of you listen to this?
Will you listen carefully in the future?
24 Who let the people of Jacob be carried off?
Who let robbers take Israel away?
The Lord allowed this to happen,
because we sinned against him.
We did not live the way he wanted us to live
and did not obey his teaching.
25 So he became very angry with us
and brought terrible wars against us.
It was as if the people of Israel had fire all around them,
but they didn’t know what was happening.
It was as if they were burning,
but they didn’t pay any attention.
Isaiah 42:18-25
King James Version
18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?
20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
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