Isaiah 42:20

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

Seeing {H7200}{H7200} many things {H7227}, but thou observest {H8104} not; opening {H6491} the ears {H241}, but he heareth {H8085} not.

Complete Jewish Bible

You see much but don't pay attention; you open your ears, but you don't listen.

Berean Standard Bible

Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”

American Standard Version

Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 42:20 delivers a profound prophetic indictment against the spiritual insensitivity and unresponsiveness of God's chosen people, Israel. Despite being divinely exposed to abundant revelations of God's power, character, and will, they are depicted as failing to truly perceive, understand, or obey. This verse highlights a critical spiritual apathy, where physical senses are active but spiritual discernment and obedience are tragically absent, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of Israel's covenant failures and the ultimate need for divine intervention.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the first of Isaiah's "Servant Songs" (Isaiah 42:1-9), which introduces the Lord's chosen Servant who will bring justice to the nations and open the eyes of the blind. Immediately following this glorious depiction of the Servant's mission, Isaiah 42:18-25 shifts abruptly to a lament and rebuke concerning Israel's spiritual condition. The contrast is stark: the Servant is depicted as perfectly obedient and perceptive, while Israel, who should embody these qualities as God's covenant people, is portrayed as spiritually blind and deaf. This juxtaposition underscores Israel's failure to live up to its calling as a "light to the nations" and sets the stage for the subsequent themes of judgment and restoration. The verse functions as a direct accusation, explaining *why* judgment is necessary despite God's gracious provision.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Isaiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history (8th century BCE), witnessing the Assyrian threat and the spiritual decline of both Israel and Judah. The people were often prone to idolatry, social injustice, and a superficial adherence to religious rituals without genuine heart transformation. Culturally, hearing and seeing were not merely physical acts but deeply symbolic of understanding, discernment, and obedience. To "hear" God's word (as in the Shema, [Deuteronomy 6:4](/deuteronomy/6-4 "Deuteronomy 6:4 - The Shema")) meant to obey it, and to "see" God's works meant to acknowledge His sovereignty and power. The indictment in Isaiah 42:20 thus speaks to a profound covenantal failure, where Israel, despite having the Law and the prophets, had become spiritually dull and unresponsive to the very God who had chosen and redeemed them from Egypt.
* **Key Themes:** Isaiah 42:20 powerfully articulates several key themes pervasive throughout the book of Isaiah and the Old Testament. Firstly, it emphasizes **Spiritual Blindness and Deafness**, a recurring motif describing the human inability, particularly Israel's, to perceive divine truth and respond to God's revelation. This is not a physical impairment but a willful or habitual spiritual insensitivity, as seen in other prophetic condemnations like [Jeremiah 5:21](/jeremiah/5-21 "Jeremiah 5:21 - Eyes that see not, ears that hear not"). Secondly, it highlights the theme of **Covenant Unfaithfulness**, where Israel's lack of discernment and obedience constitutes a breach of their covenant relationship with God. Despite being given abundant evidence of God's power and clear instructions, they fail to "observe" or "hear" in a way that leads to faithful living. This unresponsiveness leads to the third theme, **God's Frustration and Impending Judgment**, as the divine patience with Israel's spiritual apathy reaches a critical point, foreshadowing the consequences of their persistent rebellion, often described as a self-inflicted spiritual exile.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Seeing (Hebrew, _râʼâh'_):** From H7200, this verb means to see, literally or figuratively, encompassing discernment, perception, and experience. In this context, Israel has the physical capacity to see God's mighty acts, His miraculous interventions, and His revealed word through the prophets and the Law. However, the indictment is that despite this abundant visual exposure, they fail to truly perceive the spiritual significance or purpose behind what they witness. It implies a superficial glance rather than a deep, understanding gaze.
* **Observest (Hebrew, _shâmar'_):** From H8104, this root means to guard, protect, attend to, or observe diligently. It implies careful watching, diligent heed, and preservation. The accusation is that despite "seeing many things," Israel does not "observe" them in the sense of paying careful attention, internalizing the lessons, or acting upon the implications of what they have seen. It signifies a failure of spiritual attentiveness and a lack of thoughtful consideration of God's ways.
* **Heareth (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ'_):** From H8085, this fundamental verb means to hear intelligently, often with the implication of attention, understanding, and, most importantly, obedience. It is the root of the famous "Shema" ("Hear, O Israel"). The phrase "he heareth not" signifies a profound spiritual deafness, a failure not just to physically hear a sound, but to comprehend, respond, and obey God's voice and commands. This is a severe indictment, pointing to a hardened heart that refuses to yield to divine instruction.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Seeing many things":** This clause refers to the vast array of divine revelations and interventions Israel has witnessed throughout its history. This includes God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the Law at Sinai, His provision in the wilderness, His establishment of the kingdom, and the continuous stream of prophetic messages. They have been exposed to undeniable evidence of God's power, faithfulness, and righteous demands.
* **"but thou observest not":** Despite this overwhelming evidence and exposure, the nation of Israel (addressed in the singular, representing the collective) fails to truly perceive, understand, or take heed of what they have seen. Their observation is superficial, lacking spiritual insight, discernment, or a corresponding change in behavior. It's a failure of spiritual comprehension and attentiveness, indicating a deep-seated spiritual dullness.
* **"opening the ears":** This refers to the physical capacity and opportunity to hear, implying that God has spoken clearly, repeatedly, and audibly through His Law, prophets, and divine acts. His truth and will have been made accessible and plain to Israel, providing them with every opportunity to listen and understand.
* **"but he heareth not":** This final clause underscores the profound spiritual deafness and unresponsiveness. It is not a physical inability to hear, but a willful or habitual refusal to listen intelligently, to comprehend, and crucially, to obey God's voice. This spiritual unresponsiveness is a severe indictment, signifying a heart hardened against God's truth, leading to a lack of obedience and spiritual insight.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 42:20 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of spiritual indictment. The most prominent is **Antithetical Parallelism**, where the two halves of the verse present contrasting ideas: "Seeing many things, but thou observest not" and "opening the ears, but he heareth not." This structure emphasizes the jarring disconnect between Israel's physical capacity and opportunity for perception versus their spiritual inability and unwillingness to respond. The verse also utilizes **Metaphor** and **Personification**, attributing human sensory functions (seeing, hearing, observing) to the collective nation of Israel, but then immediately denying the spiritual efficacy of these senses. Israel is personified as having eyes that do not truly see and ears that do not truly hear, symbolizing a deeper spiritual blindness and deafness. This use of sensory language highlights the profound spiritual apathy and rebellion at the heart of Israel's failure.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 42:20 serves as a stark reminder of the human propensity for spiritual dullness, even in the face of abundant divine revelation. It underscores the critical distinction between mere exposure to truth and genuine spiritual perception and obedience. The verse highlights God's frustration with His chosen people's unresponsiveness, a theme that echoes throughout the prophetic literature, emphasizing that privilege does not guarantee piety. Ultimately, it points to the necessity of divine intervention to overcome this inherent spiritual blindness and deafness, a transformation that only God can bring about.

* [Jeremiah 5:21](/jeremiah/5-21 "Jeremiah 5:21 - A People with Eyes and Ears Who Do Not Perceive")
* [Matthew 13:13](/matthew/13-13 "Matthew 13:13 - Jesus Explains Parables and Spiritual Blindness")
* [Romans 11:8](/romans/11-8 "Romans 11:8 - God Gives a Spirit of Stupor")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 42:20 stands as a timeless challenge to all who claim to follow God. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that merely being exposed to spiritual realities—attending church, reading the Bible, hearing sermons—does not automatically equate to genuine spiritual perception or transformative obedience. We can "see many things" in God's creation, His providence, and His Word, yet fail to "observe" them with a discerning heart that leads to worship and wisdom. Similarly, we can have our "ears opened" to countless messages, teachings, and divine promptings, yet tragically "hear not" in the sense of truly listening, understanding, and obeying. This verse calls for profound self-examination, urging us to ask if our engagement with spiritual truth is superficial or if it penetrates to the depths of our being, leading to genuine transformation. It reminds us that spiritual sight and hearing are not passive states but require active, humble, and responsive hearts, continually seeking God's grace to overcome our innate spiritual apathy.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be "seeing many things" (God's work, His Word, His presence) but "observing not" with true spiritual discernment?**
* **Am I truly "hearing" God's voice (through Scripture, prayer, or godly counsel), or am I merely listening without a heart inclined to understand and obey?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a more attentive and responsive heart to God's revelation, moving beyond passive exposure to active engagement?**
* **How does my own spiritual "blindness" or "deafness" manifest, and what might be the underlying causes (e.g., busyness, pride, unconfessed sin)?**

### FAQ

**What is the significance of "seeing" and "hearing" in this verse?**

Answer: In biblical thought, "seeing" and "hearing" extend far beyond physical sensation. "Seeing" (Hebrew, _râʼâh_) implies not just visual perception but also understanding, discernment, and experiencing. "Hearing" (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ_) is even more profound, encompassing listening attentively, comprehending, and, most critically, obeying. The famous "Shema" in [Deuteronomy 6:4](/deuteronomy/6-4 "Deuteronomy 6:4 - The Shema") ("Hear, O Israel") is a call to obedient listening. Therefore, when Isaiah says Israel "observes not" and "heareth not," it's a severe indictment of their spiritual apathy and rebellion. They lack not physical capacity, but spiritual willingness to perceive God's truth and respond in obedience, despite abundant revelation.

**Does this verse imply that God made Israel spiritually blind and deaf?**

Answer: No, the verse does not imply that God *caused* Israel's spiritual blindness and deafness in the sense of an arbitrary act. Rather, it describes their *condition* as a result of their persistent unfaithfulness and rebellion against God's clear revelation. While God can "harden" hearts as a judgment for prior disobedience (e.g., Pharaoh in [Exodus 9:12](/exodus/9-12 "Exodus 9:12 - God Hardens Pharaoh's Heart")), the primary emphasis here is on Israel's culpability. They had "eyes" to see God's mighty acts and "ears" to hear His word, but they willfully chose not to observe or obey, leading to their spiritual dullness. This is a consequence of their sin, not an initial divine decree to make them unresponsive.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 42:20, with its lament over Israel's spiritual blindness and deafness, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Israel, as God's chosen servant nation, failed to truly see and hear God's truth, Jesus perfectly embodies the obedient Servant foretold in the preceding verses of Isaiah 42. He is the one who truly "sees" the Father's will and "hears" His every command, living a life of perfect obedience (cf. [John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Does What Pleases the Father")). Furthermore, Jesus comes as the divine solution to humanity's pervasive spiritual blindness and deafness. He declares, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" ([John 8:12](/john/8-12 "John 8:12 - Jesus, the Light of the World")). He opens the eyes of the physically blind, a miracle that serves as a powerful sign of His ability to open spiritually blind eyes (cf. [John 9:39](/john/9-39 "John 9:39 - Jesus Comes to Give Sight to the Blind")). He also commands, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" ([Matthew 11:15](/matthew/11-15 "Matthew 11:15 - Jesus' Call to Hear")), inviting all to truly listen to His words of life. Through His atoning sacrifice and the giving of the Holy Spirit, Jesus not only exposes humanity's spiritual inability but also provides the means for new spiritual sight and hearing, transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh that can truly perceive and obey God (cf. [Ezekiel 36:26-27](/ezekiel/36-26-27 "Ezekiel 36:26-27 - A New Heart and Spirit")). Thus, where Israel failed, Christ succeeds, bringing true spiritual illumination and responsiveness to all who believe.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Nehemiah 9:10

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.

Nehemiah 9:17

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Romans 2:21

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

Acts 28:22

But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

Acts 28:27

For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Psalms 107:43

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

Deuteronomy 29:2

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;