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Commentary on Isaiah 42 verses 18–25
The prophet, having spoken by way of comfort and encouragement to the believing Jews who waited for the consolation of Israel, here turns to those among them who were unbelieving, for their conviction and humiliation. Among those who were in captivity in Babylon there were some who were as the evil figs in Jeremiah's vision, who were sent thither for their hurt, to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, for a reproach and a proverb, Jer 24:9. In them there was a type of the Jews who rejected Christ and were rejected by him, and then fell more than ever under the curse, when those who believed were inheriting the blessing; for they were broken, and ruined, and remain dispersed unto this day. Observe,
I. The call that is given to this people (Isa 42:18): "Hear, you deaf, and attend to the joyful sound, and look you blind, that you may see the joyful light." There is no absurdity in this command, nor is it unbecoming the wisdom and goodness of God to call us to do that good which yet of ourselves we are not sufficient for; for those have natural powers which they may employ so as to do better than they do, and may have supernatural grace if it be not their own fault, who yet labour under a moral impotency to that which is good. This call to the deaf to hear and the blind to see is like the command given to the man that had the withered hand to stretch it forth; though he could not do this, because it was withered, yet, if he had not attempted to do it, he would not have been healed, and his being healed thereupon was owing, not to his act, but to the divine power.
II. The character that is given of them (Isa 42:19, Isa 42:20): Who is blind, but my servant, or deaf as my messenger? The people of the Jews were in profession God's servants, and their priests and elders his messengers (Mal 2:7); but they were deaf and blind. The verse before may be understood as spoken to the Gentile idolaters, whom he calls deaf and blind, because they worshipped gods that were so. "But," says he, "no wonder you are deaf and blind when my own people are as bad as you, and many of them as much set upon idolatry."
1.He complains of their sottishness - they are blind; and of their stubbornness - they are deaf. They were even worse than the Gentiles themselves. Corruptio optimi est pessima - What is best becomes, when corrupted, the worst. "Who is so wilfully, so scandalously, blind and deaf as my servant and my messenger, as Jacob who is my servant (Isa 41:8), and as their prophets and teachers who are my messengers? Who is blind as he that in profession and pretension is perfect, that should come nearer to perfection than other people, their priests and prophets? The one prophesies falsely, and the other bears rule by their means; and who so blind as those that will not see when they have the light shining in their faces?" Note, (1.) It is a common thing, but a very sad thing, for those that in profession are God's servants and messengers to be themselves blind and deaf in spiritual things, ignorant, erroneous, and very careless. (2.) Blindness and deafness in spiritual things are worse in those that profess themselves to be God's servants and messengers than in others. It is in them the greater sin and shame, the greater dishonour to God, and to themselves a greater damnation.
2.The prophet goes on (Isa 42:20) to describe the blindness and obstinacy of the Jewish nation, just as our Saviour describes it in his time (Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15): Seeing many things, but thou observest not. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but mere carelessness. The Jews in our Saviour's time saw many proofs of his divine mission, but they did not observe them; they seemed to open their ears to him, but they did not hear, that is, they did not heed, did not understand, or believe, or obey, and then it was all one as if they had not heard.
III. The care God will take of the honour of his own name, notwithstanding their blindness and deafness, especially of his word, which he has magnified above all his name. Shall the unbelief and obstinacy of men make the promise of God of no effect? God forbid, Rom 3:3, Rom 3:4. No, though they are blind and deaf, God will be no loser in his glory (Isa 42:21): The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; not well pleased with their sin, but well pleased in the manifestation of his own righteousness, in rejecting them for rejecting the great salvation. He speaks as one well pleased, Isa 1:24 : Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries; and Eze 5:13, I will be comforted. The scripture was fulfilled in the casting off of the Jews as well as in the calling in of the Gentiles, and therein the Lord will be well pleased. He will magnify the law (divine revelation in all the parts of it) and will make it honourable. The law is truly honourable, and the things of it are great things; and, if men will not magnify it by their obedience to it, God will magnify it himself by punishing them for their disobedience. He will magnify the law by accomplishing what is written in it, will magnify its authority, its efficacy, its equity. He will do it at last, when all men shall be judged by the law of liberty, Jam 2:12. He is doing it every day. What is it that God is doing in the world, but magnifying the law and making it honourable?
IV. The calamities God will bring upon the Jewish nation for their wilful blindness and deafness, Isa 42:22. They are robbed and spoiled. Those that were impenitent and unreformed in Babylon were sentenced to perpetual captivity. It was for their sins that they were spoiled of all their possessions, not only in their own land, but in the land of their enemies. They were some of them snared in holes, and others hidden in prison-houses. They cannot help themselves, for they are snared. Their friends cannot help them, for they are hidden; and their enemies have forgotten them in their prisons. They, and all they have, are for a prey and for a spoil; and there is none that delivers either by force or ransom, nor any that dares say to the proud oppressors, Restore. There they lie, and there they are likely to lie. This had its full accomplishment in the final destruction of the Jewish nation by the Romans, which God brought upon them for rejecting the gospel of Christ.
V. The counsel given them in order to their relief; for, though their case be sad, it is not desperate.
1.The generality of them are deaf; they will not hearken to the voice of God's word. He will therefore try his rod, and see who among them will give ear to that, Isa 42:23. We must not despair concerning those who have been long reasoned with in vain; some of them may, at length, give ear and hearken. If one method not take effect, another may, and sinners shall be left inexcusable. Observe, (1.) We may all of us, if we will, hear the voice of God, and we are called and invited to hear it. (2.) It is worth while to enquire who they are that perceive God speaking to them and are willing to hear him. (3.) Of the many that hear the voice of God there are very few that hearken to it or heed it, that hear it with attention and application. (4.) In hearing the word we must have an eye to the time to come. We must hear for hereafter, for what may occur between us and the grave; we must especially hear for eternity. We must hear the word with another world in our eye.
2.The counsel is, (1.) To acknowledge the hand of God in their afflictions, and, whoever were the instruments, to have an eye to him as the principal agent (Isa 42:24): "Who gave Jacob and Israel, that people that used to have such an interest in heaven and such a dominion on earth, who gave them for a spoil to the robbers, as they are now to the Babylonians and to the Romans? Did not the Lord? You know he did; consider it then, and hear his voice in these judgments." (2.) To acknowledge that they had provoked God thus to abandon them, and had brought all these calamities upon themselves. [1.] These punishments were first inflicted on them for their disobedience to the laws of God: It is he against whom we have sinned; the prophet puts himself into the number of the sinners, As Dan 9:7, Dan 9:8. "We have sinned; we have all brought fuel to the fire; and there are those among us that have wilfully refused to walk in his ways." Jacob and Israel would never have been given up to the robbers if they had not by their iniquities sold themselves. Therefore it is, because they have violated the commands of the law, that God has brought upon them the curses of the law; he has not dropped, but poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battle, all the desolations of war, which have set him on fire round about; for God surrounds the wicked with his favours. See the power of God's anger; there is no resisting it, no escaping it. See the mischief that sin makes; it provokes God to anger against a people, and so kindles a universal conflagration, sets all on fire. [2.] These judgments were continued upon them for their senselessness and incorrigibleness under the rod of God. The fire of God's wrath kindled upon him, and he knew it not, was not aware of it, took no notice of the judgments, at least not of the hand of God in them. Nay, it burned him, and, though he could not then but know it and feel it, yet he laid it not to heart, was not awakened by the fiery rebukes he was under nor at all affected with them. Those who are not humbled by less judgments must expect greater; for when God judges he will overcome.
(Verse 18, 19 onwards) The deaf, hear! And the blind, look to see. Who is blind, if not my servant? And who is deaf, if not the one to whom I send my messengers? Who is blind, if not the one who has been sold? And who is blind, if not the servant of the Lord? You who see many things, will you not observe? You who have open ears, will you not hear? And the Lord desired to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and to exalt it. But the people are plundered and devastated: all the youth are trapped in snares, and hidden in prison houses. They have become a prey, and there is no one to deliver them; a spoil, and no one says, 'Restore them.' Who among you hears this, pays attention, and listens to the future? Who has given Jacob over to plunder, and Israel to the plunderers? Is it not the Lord himself, whom we have sinned against? And they have refused to walk in his ways and have not listened to his law. So he poured out his wrath on them, and the fierceness of battle: and he set them on fire all around, but they did not understand; and he burned them, but they did not comprehend. LXX: Hear, you deaf! Look, you blind, that you may see. Who is blind, but my children? And deaf, but those who rule over them? Who is blind (According to the Complutensian edition of the Septuagint) but he who receives: and the servants of God were made blind. You have seen many things, but you have not observed them: your ears are open, but you do not hear. The Lord God was pleased for the sake of his justice, that he might magnify his law. And I saw, and behold a people is destroyed and taken captive. For there was a snare in the hidden places, and a net over their houses. They have become a prey: and there was no one to deliver the spoil: and there was no one to say, Restore. Who is among you that will hear this, and will consider the future? Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? hath not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? and they would not walk in his ways, neither would they hearken to his law. And he hath poured out upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not, and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. Lest anyone think that what is said, 'Hear, you deaf; look, you blind,' applies to the Gentile people, who were previously deaf and blind (as the Jews foolishly claim to approve by interpretation), the prophetic speech itself shows that the deaf and blind should be understood. 'Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like Israel?' Who is blind, but the one who was previously a servant of the Lord? To whom it is said: O Israel, who sees many things, and has many prophets through whom you may know the commandments of God, will you not keep the precepts that have been given to you? You who have open ears, will you not hear what is being said, of which we also read above: You will hear with your ears, and will not understand; and seeing you will see, and will not perceive: for the heart of this people has grown dull (Isa. VI, 9). The Lord, he said, wanted to sanctify him, and magnify his Law, and lift up and comfort his suffering people. But he did not want to do God's will: and therefore he was plundered and devastated by his adversaries, whom we should understand as either demons or enemies. The snares of young men, and those hidden in the houses of prisons. Or as the LXX translated, snares in every hiding place, and in the houses where they concealed them: signifying the scribes and the Pharisees, who deceived the miserable people, and everywhere set traps against the Lord Savior and his Apostles (Luke 11): having the key of knowledge, neither entering in themselves, nor allowing others who wanted to enter. Their beautiful hearts in which they lived were called prisons of evil thoughts. Therefore, they became a prey and a plunder: and there was no one to deliver them, and to speak for them. At the same time, the Prophet encourages them, so that if everyone cannot hear, at least a few would know and understand what they have endured. And they would recognize the reasons for their desolation, who neither wanted to hear nor to do what was commanded by the Law. Therefore the Lord poured out upon them all his wrath and the fury of his anger; uttering also against them exceeding hard words, behold how he incenses them with the Roman Empire he newly built. He burns them completely and leaves nothing healthy in them, yet they do not understand the reason for their punishment, that they have not received the Son of God.
He has taught us both the divine object and the free will of the human creature. Although he desires, he says, that you be justified by choosing godliness, you have, on the contrary, taken the opposite way and reaped death. “For there is a snare in the secret chambers everywhere, and in the houses also, where they have hidden them.”
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 42:22 starkly portrays the dire condition of God's chosen people, Israel, depicting them as plundered, imprisoned, and utterly helpless. This verse serves as a sobering indictment of their spiritual blindness and disobedience, illustrating the severe consequences of their failure to heed God's voice and walk in His ways, a state from which, at this moment, no human or divine intervention appears forthcoming to deliver or restore them.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 42:22 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid picture of Israel's desolate state. The descriptions of being "robbed and spoiled," "snared in holes," and "hid in prison houses" create a powerful visual of a people utterly dispossessed, trapped, and confined. This imagery evokes a sense of helplessness and despair. The verse also employs Parallelism, particularly in its concluding phrases: "they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore." This synonymous parallelism reinforces the central message of their profound vulnerability and the complete absence of any intervention or reversal of their plight. Furthermore, there is an implicit Contrast with the preceding verses (Isaiah 42:1-9) that describe the Servant of the Lord who will bring justice, light, and release to the captives. This stark juxtaposition highlights Israel's current state of spiritual blindness and physical bondage as a tragic foil to the Servant's redemptive mission.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 42:22 powerfully articulates the theological principle that covenant disobedience inevitably leads to severe consequences, even for God's chosen people. It demonstrates God's unwavering justice, where His people, despite their unique relationship, are held accountable for their spiritual blindness and rebellion. The verse underscores that God's discipline, though painful, is a righteous response to persistent unfaithfulness, serving to highlight the gravity of sin and the necessity of repentance. This desolation, however, is not the final word in Isaiah; rather, it sets the stage for God's ultimate redemptive plan, emphasizing the depth from which His people need to be rescued by the promised Servant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 42:22 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency and persistent disobedience. Just as ancient Israel faced dire consequences for their spiritual blindness and turning away from God, individuals and communities today can experience various forms of "captivity" or "spoiling" when they disregard divine principles and neglect their covenant relationship with God. This verse challenges us to honestly assess our own spiritual vision and hearing: Are we truly seeing God's truth and hearing His voice, or are we, like Israel, allowing spiritual dullness to lead us into snares and prisons of our own making? The "holes" and "prison houses" can manifest as cycles of sin, destructive habits, emotional bondage, or societal injustices that trap us. While the verse describes a moment of profound despair and lack of human deliverance, its broader context within Isaiah points to God's ultimate faithfulness and His sovereign plan for redemption. It encourages us to seek deliverance from our own spiritual "snares" and to remember that God's discipline, though painful, is often a prelude to a season of restoration and renewed relationship, prompting us to turn back to Him in repentance and faith.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "this people" referred to in Isaiah 42:22?
Answer: "This people" refers to the nation of Israel, also known as Jacob, God's chosen covenant people. Throughout Isaiah, God frequently addresses Israel, lamenting their spiritual blindness and deafness despite being called to be His witnesses. This verse specifically highlights their state of judgment and desolation due to their unfaithfulness.
What does it mean that they are "snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses"?
Answer: This vivid imagery describes Israel's state of utter entrapment and confinement. "Snared in holes" evokes the picture of animals caught in pits or traps, signifying an inescapable and sudden capture. "Hid in prison houses" explicitly refers to their physical and spiritual captivity. Historically, this points to the various periods of foreign oppression and exile, particularly the Babylonian captivity, where the people were literally taken as prisoners. Spiritually, it symbolizes their bondage to the consequences of their sin and disobedience, from which they cannot free themselves.
Why is it stated that "none delivereth" and "none saith, Restore"?
Answer: This phrase underscores the completeness and severity of God's judgment upon Israel for their persistent rebellion. It signifies that, at this particular moment in their history, there was no human or divine intervention to rescue them from their plight or to reverse the plundering and captivity they endured. It emphasizes their utter helplessness and the finality of the divine disciplinary action, highlighting that their suffering was a direct and unmitigated consequence of their spiritual failure. This contrasts sharply with God's earlier acts of deliverance and sets the stage for the revelation of the Servant who will deliver and restore.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 42:22, in its stark portrayal of a people robbed, spoiled, snared, and imprisoned with no one to deliver or restore, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Israel's plight in this verse mirrors the universal human condition under the dominion of sin and death, where humanity is similarly "robbed" of its innocence, "spoiled" by corruption, and "snared in holes" of spiritual bondage, "hid in prison houses" of guilt and despair, with no one among us capable of delivering or restoring. However, the very chapter that introduces this lament also introduces the true Servant of the Lord. Jesus, the promised Messiah, is the one foretold to "bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and those who dwell in darkness from the prison" as promised in Isaiah 42:7. He came to proclaim "liberty to the captives" as declared in Luke 4:18, delivering us from the power of darkness and transferring us into His kingdom, as taught in Colossians 1:13-14. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus became the ultimate Deliverer, disarming the powers that held humanity captive, as confirmed in Colossians 2:15. He is the one who not only delivers but also "restores" all that was lost through sin, bringing us back into a right relationship with God and offering true freedom to all who believe, as Jesus Himself stated in John 8:36. Thus, the despair of Isaiah 42:22 is ultimately overcome by the glorious hope found in Christ, who is our Deliverer and Restorer.