Bible/Isaiah/42

Isaiah 42:16

42:15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. straight: Heb. into straightness

KJV

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I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do to them, and not forsake them. ¶

42:17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

What does Isaiah 42:16 mean?

Isaiah 42:16 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יָלַךְ (yâlak), עִוֵּר (ʻivvêr), דֶּרֶךְ (derek). It connects to 7 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
I
will
bringיָלַךְyâlak/yaw-lak'/H3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
the
blindעִוֵּרʻivvêr/iv-vare'/H5787blind (literally or figuratively)
by
a
wayדֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/H1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
that
they
knewיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
not;
I
will
leadדָּרַךְdârak/daw-rak'/H1869to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending)
them
in
pathsנָתִיבnâthîyb/naw-theeb'/H5410a (beaten) track
that
they
have
not
known:יָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
I
will
makeשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
darknessמַחְשָׁךְmachshâk/makh-shawk'/H4285darkness; concretely, a dark place
lightאוֹרʼôwr/ore/H216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
beforeפָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
them,
and
crooked
thingsמַעֲקָשׁmaʻăqâsh/mah-ak-awsh'/H4625a crook (in a road)
straight.מִישׁוֹרmîyshôwr/mee-shore'/H4334a level, i.e. a plain (often used (with the article prefix) as a proper name of certain districts); figuratively, concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) justice (sometimes adverbially, justly)
These
thingsדָּבָרdâbâr/daw-baw'/H1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
will
I
doעָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/H6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
unto
them,
and
not
forsakeעָזַבʻâzab/aw-zab'/H5800to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.
them.
straight:
Heb.
into
straightness

Commentary on Isaiah 42:16

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 42:16
d heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. Note, 1. Framing ill designs will be of no advantage to us; there is nothing got by them: He that has a froward heart, that sows discord and is full of resentment, cannot promise himself to get by it sufficient to counterbalance the loss of his repose and reputation, nor can he take any rational satisfaction in it; he finds no good. 2. Giving ill language will be a great disadvantage to us: He that has a perverse tongue, spiteful and abusive, scurrilous or backbiting, falls into one mischief or other, loses his friends, provokes his enemies, and pulls trouble upon his own head. Many a one has paid dearly for an unbridled tongue. 21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Psalms 22:15

My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Psalms 32:3

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Psalms 32:4

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Ecclesiastes 9:7

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Romans 5:2

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 2:7

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Topics

Regeneration

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 42:16.

Genesis 18:19

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 21:14

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

Genesis 22:6

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

Genesis 24:21

And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

Genesis 24:56

And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

Genesis 30:36

And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Genesis 38:16

And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

Genesis 9:23

And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 42:16 say?

Isaiah 42:16 (King James Version) reads: "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. straight: Heb. into straightness"

Is Isaiah 42:16 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 42:16 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 42:16, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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