TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped;
Berean Standard Bible
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
American Standard Version
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
World English Bible Messianic
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then shall the eyes of the blinde be lightened, and the eares of the deafe be opened.
Young's Literal Translation
Then opened are eyes of the blind, And ears of the deaf are unstopped,
Study This Verse
Commentary on Isaiah 35 verses 5–10
5 ¶ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
"Then, when your God shall come, even Christ, to set up his kingdom in the world, to which all the prophets bore witness, especially towards the conclusion of their prophecies of the temporal deliverances of the church, and this evangelical prophet especially - then look for great things."
I. Wonders shall be wrought in the kingdoms both of nature and grace, wonders of mercy wrought upon the children of men, sufficient to evince that it is no less than a God that comes to us. 1. Wonders shall be wrought on men's bodies (Isa 35:5, Isa 35:6): The eyes of the blind shall be opened; this was often done by our Lord Jesus when he was here upon earth, with a word's speaking, and one he gave sight to that was born blind, Mat 9:27; Mat 12:22; Mat 20:30; Joh 9:6. By his power the ears of the deaf also were unstopped, with one word. Ephphatha - Be opened, Mar 7:34. Many that were lame had the use of their limbs restored so perfectly that they could not only go, but leap, and with so much joy to them that they could not forbear leaping for joy, as that impotent man, Act 3:8. The dumb also were enabled to speak, and then no marvel that they were disposed to sing for joy, Mat 9:32, Mat 9:33. These miracles Christ wrought to prove that he was sent of God (Joh 3:2), nay, working them by his own power and in his own name, he proved that he was God, the same who at first made man's mouth, the hearing ear, and the seeing eye. When he would prove to John's disciples his divine mission he did it by miracles of this kind, in which this scripture was fulfilled. 2. Wonders, greater wonders, shall be wrought on men's souls. By the word and Spirit of Christ those that were spiritually blind were enlightened (Act 26:18), those that were deaf to the calls of God were made to hear them readily, so Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended, Act 16:14. Those that were impotent to every thing that is good by divine grace are made, not only able for it, but active in it, and run the way of God's commandments. Those also that were dumb, and knew not how to speak of God or to God, having their understandings opened to know him, shall thereby have their lips opened to show forth his praise. The tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy, the joy of God's salvation. Praise shall be perfected out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.
II. The Spirit shall be poured out from on high. There shall be waters and streams, rivers of living water; when our Saviour spoke of these as the fulfilling of the scripture, and most probably of this scripture, the evangelist tells us, He spoke of the Spirit (Joh 7:38, Joh 7:39), as does also this prophet (ch. 32:15); so here (Isa 35:6), in the wilderness, where one would least expect it, shall waters break out. This was fulfilled when the Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles that heard the word (Act 10:44); then were the fountains of life opened, whence streams flowed, that watered the earth abundantly. These waters are said to break out, which denotes a pleasing surprise to the Gentile world, such as brought them, as it were, into a new world. The blessed effect of this shall be that the parched ground shall become a pool, Isa 35:7. Those that laboured and were heavily laden, under the burden of guilt, and were scorched with the sense of divine wrath, found rest, and refreshment, and abundant comforts in the gospel. In the thirsty land, where no water was, nor ordinances (Psa 63:1), there shall be springs of water, a gospel ministry, and by that the administration of all gospel ordinances in their purity and plenty, which are the river that makes glad the city of our God, Psa 46:4. In the habitation of dragons, who chose to dwell in the parched scorched ground (Isa 34:9, Isa 34:13), these waters shall flow, and dispossess them, so that, where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes, great plenty of useful productions. Thus it was when Christian churches were planted, and flourished greatly, in the cities of the Gentiles, which, for many ages, had been habitations of dragons, or devils rather, as Babylon (Rev 18:2); when the property of the idols' temples was altered, and they were converted to the service of Christianity, then the habitations of dragons became fruitful fields.
III. The way of religion and godliness shall be laid open: it is here called the way of holiness (Isa 35:8) the way both of holy worship and a holy conversation. Holiness is the rectitude of the human nature and will, in conformity to the divine nature and will. The way of holiness is that course of religious duties in which men ought to walk and press forward, with an eye to the glory of God and their own felicity in the enjoyment of him. "When our God shall come to save us he shall chalk out to us this way by his gospel, so as it had never been before described." 1. It shall be an appointed way; not a way of sufferance, but a highway, a way into which we are directed by a divine authority and in which we are protected by a divine warrant. It is the King's highway, the King of Kings' highway, in which, though we may be waylaid, we cannot be stopped. The way of holiness is the way of God's commandments; it is (as highways usually are) the good old way, Jer 6:16. 2. It shall be an appropriated way, the way in which God will bring his own chosen to himself, but the unclean shall not pass over it, either to defile it or to disturb those that walk in it. It is a way by itself, distinguished from the way of the world, for it is a way of separation from, and nonconformity to, this world. It shall be for those whom the Lord has set apart for himself (Psa 4:3), shall be reserved for them: The redeemed shall walk there, and the satisfaction they take in these ways of pleasantness shall be out of the reach of molestation from an evil world. The unclean shall not pass over it, for it shall be a fair way; those that walk in it are the undefiled in the way, who escape the pollution that is in the world. 3. It shall be a straight way: The wayfaring men, who choose to travel in it, though fools, of weak capacity in other things, shall have such plain directions from the word and Spirit of God in this way that they shall not err therein; not that they shall be infallible even in their own conduct, or that they shall in nothing mistake, but they shall not be guilty of any fatal misconduct, shall not so miss their way but that they shall recover it again, and get well to their journey's end. Those that are in the narrow way, though some may fall into one path and others into another, not all equally right, but all meeting at last in the same end, shall yet never fall into the broad way again; the Spirit of truth shall lead them into all truth that is necessary for them. Note, The way to heaven is a plain way, and easy to hit. God has chosen the foolish things of the world, and made them wise to salvation. Knowledge is easy to him that understands. 4. It shall be a safe way: No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast (Isa 35:9), none to hurt or destroy. Those that keep close to this way keep out of the reach of Satan the roaring lion, that wicked one touches them not. Those that walk in the way of holiness may proceed with a holy security and serenity of mind, knowing that nothing can do them any real hurt; they shall be quiet from the fear of evil. It was in Hezekiah's days, some time after the captivity of the ten tribes, that God, being displeased with the colonies settled there, sent lions among them, Kg2 17:25. But Judah keeps her integrity, and therefore no lions shall be there. Those that walk in the way of holiness must separate themselves from the unclean and the ravenous, must save themselves from an untoward generation; hoping that they themselves are of the redeemed, let them walk with the redeemed who shall walk there.
IV. The end of this way shall be everlasting joy, Isa 35:10. This precious promise of peace now will end shortly in endless joys and rest for the soul. Here is good news for the citizens of Zion, rest to the weary: The ransomed of the Lord, who therefore ought to follow him wherever he goes (Rev 14:4), shall return and come to Zion, 1. To serve and worship God in the church militant: they shall deliver themselves out of Babylon (Zac 2:7), shall ask the way to Zion (Jer 50:5), and shall find the way Isa 52:12. God will open to them a door of escape out of their captivity, and it shall be an effectual door, though there be many adversaries. They shall join themselves to the gospel church, that Mount Zion, that city of the living God, Heb 12:22. They shall come with songs of joy and praise for their deliverance out of Babylon, where they wept upon every remembrance of Zion, Psa 137:1. Those that by faith are made citizens of the gospel Zion may go on their way rejoicing (Act 8:39); they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, and be still praising him. They rejoice in Christ Jesus, and the sorrows and signs of their convictions are made to flee away by the power of divine consolations. Those that mourn are blessed, for they shall be comforted. 2. To see and enjoy God in the church triumphant; those that walk in the way of holiness, under guidance of their Redeemer, shall come to Zion at last, to the heavenly Zion, shall come in a body, shall all be presented together, faultless, at the coming of Christ's glory with exceeding joy (Jde 1:24; Rev 7:17); they shall come with songs. When God's people returned out of Babylon to Zion they came weeping (Jer 50:4); but they shall come to heaven singing a new song, which no man can learn, Rev 14:3. When they shall enter into the joy of their Lord it shall be what the joys of this world never could be everlasting joy, without mixture, interruption, or period. It shall not only fill their hearts, to their own perfect and perpetual satisfaction, but it shall be upon their heads, as an ornament of grace and a crown of glory, as a garland worn in token of victory. Their joy shall be visible, and no longer a secret thing, as it is here in this world; it shall be proclaimed, to the glory of God and their mutual encouragement. They shall then obtain the joy and gladness which they could never expect on this side heaven; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away for ever, as the shadows of the night before the rising sun. Thus these prophecies, which relate to the Assyrian invasion, conclude, for the support of the people of God under that calamity, and to direct their joy, in their deliverance from it, to something higher. Our joyful hopes and prospects of eternal life should swallow up both all the sorrows and all the joys of this present time.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–10. Public domain.
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NovatianAD 258
ON THE TRINITY 9:6
Isaiah also alludes to him: “There shall go forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall grow up from his root.” The same also when he says, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.” He refers to him when he enumerates the healings that were to proceed from him, saying, “Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall be eloquent.” Him also, when he sets forth the virtue of patience, saying, “His voice shall not be heard in the streets; a bruised reed shall he not destroy, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.”
Chromatius of AquileiaAD 406
TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 48:1
Although these blind men had no bodily eyes, they had the vision of faith and heart with which they were able to see the true and eternal Light, the Son of God, about whom it is written: “He was the true light which illumines everyone, coming into the world.” It was he who had predicted through the prophet Isaiah that he would come to give sight to the blind: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me. He has sent me to evangelize the poor and to restore sight to the blind.” Again Isaiah testified about the same one elsewhere: “Behold, our God will restore justice; he will come and save us. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will hear.” David also bore witness to him, saying through the Holy Spirit: “The Lord raises up the downcast, the Lord frees the imprisoned, the Lord gives sight to the blind.”
John ChrysostomAD 407
DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PAGANS 3:9
And Isaiah went on to tell of other marvels and showed how Christ cured the lame, how he made the blind to see, and the mute to speak: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, then will the ears of the deaf hear.” And thereafter he spoke of the other marvels: “Then will the lame man leap like a stag, and the tongue of those with impediments of speech will be clear and distinct.” And this did not happen until his coming.
Leo the GreatAD 461
SERMON 54:4
“God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” and the Creator himself was wearing the creature which was to be restored to the image of its Creator. And after the divinely miraculous works had been performed, the performance of which the spirit of prophecy had once predicted, “then shall the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf shall hear; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall speak plainly.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 35:5 presents a vivid prophetic declaration within a chapter brimming with promises of divine restoration and exuberant joy. It powerfully envisions a future era marked by God's direct intervention, where profound physical disabilities are miraculously reversed, symbolizing a comprehensive renewal of creation and humanity. This verse, therefore, stands as a profound testament to God's redemptive power and foresight, pointing toward a glorious age of wholeness, spiritual enlightenment, and ultimate shalom.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 35:5 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of hope and divine intervention. Parallelism is prominently featured, with the two clauses mirroring each other in structure and concept ("Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped"). This synonymous parallelism reinforces the comprehensive nature of the promised healing, extending to two of the most vital human senses, emphasizing God's holistic restoration. The verse also utilizes Metonymy, where "eyes" and "ears" stand for the entire person's capacity to see and hear, emphasizing the personal and holistic nature of the restoration that impacts the individual's full participation in life. Furthermore, the language is deeply Prophetic, using future tense verbs ("shall be opened," "shall be unstopped") to declare a certain future event, rooted in divine promise and authority. This prophetic utterance functions as a Divine Decree, a powerful declaration of God's sovereign will that will inevitably come to pass. Finally, the physical healing described serves as powerful Symbolism for spiritual restoration and enlightenment, suggesting that just as physical senses are opened, so too will spiritual understanding and responsiveness to God's truth be granted, overcoming spiritual blindness and deafness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 35:5 stands as a cornerstone of biblical theology concerning God's character as a compassionate healer and sovereign restorer. It speaks to the ultimate triumph over the pervasive effects of the Fall, envisioning a world where physical infirmity and suffering are eradicated by divine power. This promise is deeply rooted in God's covenant faithfulness, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His people's well-being and His ultimate plan to bring about a new creation. The prophetic vision extends beyond mere physical cures, pointing to a holistic restoration that encompasses spiritual understanding and the full flourishing of humanity in God's presence. It underscores the biblical theme of God bringing light to darkness, not just literally, but spiritually, enabling His people to truly perceive His glory, understand His ways, and hear His guiding voice. This verse encapsulates the profound hope that God is actively working towards a future of complete wholeness and joy for His redeemed.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 35:5 offers profound comfort and a powerful call to faith for believers across all generations. It serves as a vibrant reminder that God is not limited by human impossibilities or the seemingly insurmountable challenges we face; He is capable of performing miracles that bring healing and wholeness in the most dire situations. This applies not only to physical ailments and disabilities but also to deep emotional wounds, spiritual blindness, and the pervasive brokenness of our world. The verse encourages us to cultivate a posture of hopeful expectation, trusting that God's ultimate plan involves comprehensive restoration and redemption. Practically, it prompts us to pray fervently for both physical healing for ourselves and others, and perhaps even more importantly, for spiritual discernment – that our eyes may be opened to truly see God's truth revealed in His Word and His presence, and our ears unstopped to hear His guiding voice amidst the clamor and distractions of life. This prophecy also fuels our anticipation for the glorious future of God's kingdom, where all sorrow, pain, and infirmity will be forever removed, and we will experience complete joy and wholeness in His eternal presence, truly seeing Him as He is and hearing His perfect voice.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this prophecy in Isaiah 35:5 exclusively about physical healing, or does it have a deeper meaning?
Answer: While Isaiah 35:5 certainly speaks to literal physical healing, its meaning extends far beyond that, encompassing a profound spiritual dimension. In prophetic literature, physical conditions often serve as powerful symbols for spiritual realities. Therefore, the opening of blind eyes and unstopping of deaf ears also powerfully symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and the ability to hear and respond to God's truth. Many biblical scholars interpret this as a promise of spiritual transformation—that those who are spiritually blind to God's ways (lacking understanding or perception of divine truth) will gain insight, and those who are spiritually deaf to His voice (unresponsive or unable to discern His will) will become receptive. This dual interpretation aligns with other passages in Isaiah that speak of spiritual blindness and deafness, such as Isaiah 6:9-10 and Isaiah 42:18. Ultimately, it points to a holistic restoration that encompasses both body and spirit, characteristic of God's redemptive work.
How does this prophecy relate to the coming of the Messiah?
Answer: Isaiah 35:5 is widely regarded as a significant Messianic prophecy, finding its ultimate and direct fulfillment in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself pointed to His miraculous healings as undeniable evidence of His identity as the promised Messiah. When John the Baptist's disciples asked if He was "the one who is to come," Jesus replied, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them" Matthew 11:4-5. This direct echo of Isaiah's prophecy confirms that Jesus' earthly ministry was the very inauguration of these ancient promises. His healings were not merely acts of compassion but powerful signs of the dawning of God's kingdom and the presence of the Messiah among His people, demonstrating His divine authority and fulfilling the prophetic expectations.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 35:5 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. He is the long-awaited Messiah who perfectly embodies the divine power to open blind eyes and unstop deaf ears, not only physically but also, and more significantly, spiritually. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus performed countless miracles of healing, directly demonstrating the fulfillment of this prophecy. He gave sight to the man born blind John 9:1-7, restored hearing and speech to the deaf man with an impediment Mark 7:31-37, and consistently ministered to the sick and infirm, validating His messianic claims. More profoundly, Jesus came as the "Light of the World" John 8:12, opening the spiritual eyes of those blinded by sin and unbelief, enabling them to perceive God's truth, His kingdom, and their need for salvation. He unstopped the spiritual ears of those deaf to the voice of God, allowing them to hear and respond to the transformative good news of the gospel. Through His life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus inaugurated the new creation where all brokenness, both physical and spiritual, is ultimately overcome, offering a foretaste of the complete restoration awaiting believers in the new heavens and new earth Revelation 21:4. He is the one through whom God's promise of wholeness, abundant life, and perfect perception is realized, inviting all to come and experience the opening of their eyes and ears to His glorious truth and saving grace.