Isaiah 42 · Verse 20

Isaiah 42:20

Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Isaiah 42:20, King James Version

Isaiah 42:20 in other translations

BSBThough seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”
WEBYou see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.
ASVThou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.
YLTSeeing many things, and thou observest not, Opening ears, and he heareth not.
DARBY— seeing many things, and thou observest not? With opened ears, he heareth not.
BBESeeing much, but keeping nothing in mind; his ears are open, but there is no hearing.
WebsterSeeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

What does Isaiah 42:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. observest--Thou dost not keep them. The "many things" are the many proofs which all along from the first God had given Israel of His goodness and His power (De 4:32-38; 29:2-4; Psa 78:1-72; 105:1-45). he--transition from the second to the third person. "Opening ... ears," that is, though he (Israel) hath his ears open (see on Is 6:10). This language, too (see on Is 42:19), applies to Messiah as Jehovah's servant (Is 50:5; Psa 40:6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Seeing many things "Thou hast seen indeed" - The text has ראית רבית raith rabith, which the Masoretes in the marginal Keri have corrected to ראות רבות reoth rabboth; as indeed one hundred and seven MSS., and five editions, now have it in the text. This was probably the reading of most of the MSS. of their time; which, though they approved of it, out of some superstition they would not admit into their standard text. But these wretched critics, though they perceived there was some fault, yet did not know where the fault lay, nor consequently how to amend it; and yet it was open enough to a judicious eye: רבות rabboth, sic veteres; et tamen forte legendum, ראות reoth, vide cap. Isa 6:9." - Secker. That is, ראית ראות raith, reoth, seeing, thou shalt see. I believe no one will doubt of admitting this as the true reading. But he heareth not "Yet thou wilt not hear" - For ישמע yishma, read תשמע tishma, in the second person; so all the ancient Versions and forty MSS. of Kennicott's, (four of them ancient), and seventeen of De Rossi's, and perhaps five more. Two others have תשמעו tishmeu, second person plural.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 42:18-25

Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 42:18-25 →

Isaiah 42:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רָא֥וֹתra.'i.tayou have seenH7200
רַבּ֖וֹתra.Botmany [things]H7227
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
תִשְׁמֹ֑רtish.Moryou keep [them]H8104
פָּק֥וֹחַpa.Ko.achthey are openH6491
אָזְנַ֖יִם'a.ze.Na.yimearsH241
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִשְׁמָֽע\׃yish.Ma'he listensH8085

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 42:20

  • Deuteronomy 29:2-4

    And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

  • Acts 28:22-27

    But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, …

  • Isaiah 1:3

    The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

  • Isaiah 58:2

    Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

  • John 11:37-50

    And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? …

  • Psalms 107:43

    Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

  • Romans 2:21

    Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

  • Ezekiel 33:31

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

  • Nehemiah 9:10-17

    And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go. Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: …

  • Jeremiah 6:10

    To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

  • John 9:37-40

    And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

  • Jeremiah 42:2-5

    And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Seeing.
1:3; 48:6-8; Nu 14:22; De 4:9; 29:2-4; Ne 9:10-17; Ps 106:7-13
Ps 107:43; Joh 9:37-40; 11:37-50
opening.
58:2; Jer 42:2-5; Eze 33:31; Mr 6:19,20; Ac 28:22-27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 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?

  • Isaiah 42:20

    Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

  • Isaiah 42:21

    The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

Read all of Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que ve muchas cosas y no advierte, que abre los oídos y no oye?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		pour voir bien des choses et ne pas y faire attention? Les oreilles ouvertes, il n’entend pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du hast vieles gesehen, aber du beachtest es nicht; bei offenen Ohren hört er nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui vides multa, nonne custodies? qui apertas habes aures, nonne audies?