Isaiah 44:18 - Exposition

They have not known nor understood . The cause of all this folly is a Minding of the understanding, divinely caused in the way of punishment, on account of their having wilfully closed their eyes to the truth. Because they "did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate (or, undistinguishing) mind" ( Romans 1:28 ; comp. Isaiah 29:10 ). He hath shut ; or, One hath shut. But the reference is in either case to God. The word translated " shut " means literally " plastered " or "smeared."