Isaiah 42:20
42:19 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?Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
KJV
You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.
Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Seeing many things, but you observe not; opening the ears, but he hears not.
What does Isaiah 42:20 mean?
Isaiah 42:20 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include רָאָה (râʼâh), רַב (rab), שָׁמַר (shâmar). It connects to 12 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.
Hebrew interlinear
Full chapter interlinear →Commentary on Isaiah 42:20
HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 42:20
Cross-references
Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
2 Samuel 3:23When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
2 Samuel 3:39And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. weak: Heb. tender
2 Samuel 16:7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: bloody: Heb. man of blood
2 Samuel 16:8The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. behold: Heb. behold thee in thy evil
2 Samuel 19:7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now. comfortably: Heb. to the heart of thy servants
Job 34:18Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
Job 34:19How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
Isaiah 18:5For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
Isaiah 42:15I 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.
Micah 5:1Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
John 18:22And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? with: or, with a rod
Verses like this
Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 42:20.
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
Genesis 23:16And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
Genesis 26:5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Genesis 6:5And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. every: or, the whole imagination: the Hebrew word signifieth not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires continually: Heb. every day
Frequently asked questions
What does Isaiah 42:20 say?
Isaiah 42:20 (King James Version) reads: "Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not."
Is Isaiah 42:20 in the Old or New Testament?
Isaiah 42:20 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.
Reflect
As you read Isaiah 42:20, what is one truth here you can carry into today?
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