Isaiah 42:18-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 42:18-25

The prophet, having spoken by way of comfort and encouragement to the believing Jews who waited for the consolation of Israel, here turns to those among them who were unbelieving, for their conviction and humiliation. Among those who were in captivity in Babylon there were some who were as the evil figs in Jeremiah's vision, who were sent thither for their hurt, to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, for a reproach and a proverb, Jer. 24:9. In them there was a type of the Jews who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 42:18

Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Jarchi and Kimchi think these words are spoken to Israel, who, as Aben Ezra says, were deaf and blind in heart; but they are rather an exhortation to the Gentiles that remained impenitent and unbelieving, and who were deaf to the voice of the Gospel, and blind as to the knowledge of it; and the purport of the exhortation is, that they would make use of their external hearing and sight, which they had, that they might attain to a spiritual... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 42:19

Who is blind, but my servant ?.... Kimchi, taking the former words to be spoken to the Jews, thinks this is their reply; who will say in answer to it, why do ye call us blind and deaf? who so blind and deaf as Isaiah the prophet, the servant of the Lord, his messenger, and a perfect one as he is called? but as the preceding words are spoken to the Gentiles, here the Lord does as it were correct himself, as if he should say, why do I call the Gentiles blind and deaf, when the people of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 42:19

As my messenger that I sent "As he to whom I have sent my messengers" - אשלח כמלכי kemalachey eshlach , ut ad quem nuncios meos misi . The Vulgate and Chaldee are almost the only interpreters who render it rightly, in consistence with the rest of the sentence, and in perfect agreement with the Hebrew idiom; according to which the ellipsis is to be thus supplied: אשלח מלאכי כלאשר kelaasher malachey eshlach ; "As he to whom I have sent my messengers." As he that is perfect "As he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:10-25

A new song to Jehovah. Caught up in his ecstasy to a high place of vision, the prophet sees all the nations of mankind deriving blessing from the ministry of Israel, and calls upon them to join in a song of praise. God's goodness in providing a Redeemer demands the thanksgiving of all the world. I. THE SONG AND THE SINGERS . The new song is named in the Psalter ( Psalms 96:1 ; Psalms 98:1 ), meaning a song inspired by the sense of new mercies. All parts of the earth are to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:18

Hear, ye deaf . The "deaf" are not absolutely without hearing, nor the "blind" absolutely without sight. They can "hear" and "see," if they choose to do so. When they do not see, it is because they "wink with their eyes" ( Matthew 13:15 ); when they do not hear, it is because, like the deaf adder, they "stop their ears" ( Psalms 58:4 ). This, at any rate, is the case with the majority. There may be some who have deadened their moral vision altogether, and have no longer any "ears to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:18-25

ADDRESS TO CAPTIVE ISRAEL , CALLING UPON THEM TO TURN TO GOD , AND REMINDING THEM THAT THEY HAVE DESERVED THEIR AFFLICTIONS . By some critics the earlier verses of this passage ( Isaiah 42:19-21 ) are regarded as having reference to the "Servant of the Lord" depicted in Isaiah 42:1-7 , and as calling on the captive Jews to consider his voluntary humiliation, and the object of it. But this view seems to be strained. It requires "deaf" and "blind' to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:18-25

The blindness of Israel. The "blindness" of Israel is a subject of continual remark in Scripture from the time of Moses ( Deuteronomy 28:28 , Deuteronomy 28:29 ) to that of St. Paul ( Romans 11:25 ). Four things may be noted of it. I. IT IS SELF - CAUSED . The Israelites "blinded themselves," and so became blind ( Isaiah 29:9 , with the comment). They "winked with their eyes," closed them against the light which shone on them from on high, and thus gradually by disuse... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:19

Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger? God's original "servant" and "messenger" to the nations was his people Israel. It was only through their default that he needed to send another and truer messenger. He now asks, having regard to their opportunities, who are so blind and deaf as they are? The object of the question is to wake a feeling of shame in the hearts of those who are not shameless among the Israelites. That I sent ; rather, whom I will send. Israel's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 42:19-20

Spiritual blindness. "Who is blind, but my servant?" It is said, "None are so blind as those that won't see." Can any be so blind as those who have been illumined of the Spirit, and who have seen the beauties of holiness, and the deformities of sin, whilst yet they turn back to their old paths? I. THE BLINDNESS OF INDIFFERENCE . The heart has lost its first love, and the King is not "beautiful" now. Like human love sometimes, which does not know how blessed it is in its estate... read more

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