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English Revised Version

Isaiah 42:20

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Isaiah;   Jesus, the Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deafness;   Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Election;   Micah, Book of;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ostrich;   Reed;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Observe;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Though seeing many things, you pay no attention.Though his ears are open, he does not listen.”
Hebrew Names Version
You see many things, but don't observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't hear.
King James Version
Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
English Standard Version
He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.
New American Standard Bible
You have seen many things, but you do not retain them; Your ears are open, but no one hears.
New Century Version
Israel, you have seen much, but you have not obeyed. You hear, but you refuse to listen."
Amplified Bible
You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; Your ears are open, but no one hears.
World English Bible
You see many things, but don't observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't hear.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Seeing many things, but thou keepest them not? opening the eares, but he heareth not?
Legacy Standard Bible
You have seen many things, but you do not keep them;Your ears are open, but none hears.
Berean Standard Bible
Though seeing many things, you do not observe. Though your ears are open, you hear nothing."
Contemporary English Version
who sees and hears so much, but pays no attention.
Complete Jewish Bible
You see much but don't pay attention; you open your ears, but you don't listen.
Darby Translation
—seeing many things, and thou observest not? With opened ears, he heareth not.
Easy-to-Read Version
My people see what they should do, but they do not obey me. They can hear with their ears, but they refuse to listen to me."
George Lamsa Translation
I gave you counsel, but you observed it not; I opened your ears, but you heard not.
Good News Translation
Israel, you have seen so much, but what has it meant to you? You have ears to hear with, but what have you really heard?"
Lexham English Bible
You see many things, but you do not observe. His ears are open, but he does not hear.
Literal Translation
You see many things, but do not observe; your ears are open, but not any hears.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They are like, as yf thou vnderstodest moch, and keptest nothinge: or yf one herde well, but were not obedient.
American Standard Version
Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.
Bible in Basic English
Seeing much, but keeping nothing in mind; his ears are open, but there is no hearing.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Seeing many things, thou observest not; opening the ears, he heareth not.
King James Version (1611)
Seeing many things, but thou obseruest not: opening the eares, but he heareth not.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thou hast seene much, and kepest nothing: the eares are open, and no man heareth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Ye have often seen, and have not taken heed; your ears have been opened, and ye have not heard.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whether thou that seest many thingis, schalt not kepe? Whether thou that hast open eeris, schalt not here?
Update Bible Version
You have seen many things, but you don't retain; his ears are open, but he doesn't hear.
Webster's Bible Translation
Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
New English Translation
You see many things, but don't comprehend; their ears are open, but do not hear."
New King James Version
Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear."
New Living Translation
You see and recognize what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don't really listen."
New Life Bible
You see many things, but you cannot tell what you see. Your ears are open, but you do not hear.
New Revised Standard
He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Seeing many things, yet thou heedest not, Opening the ears yet he heareth not,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou that seest many things, wilt thou not observe them? thou that hast ears open, wilt thou not hear?
Revised Standard Version
He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.
Young's Literal Translation
Seeing many things, and thou observest not, Opening ears, and he heareth not.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; Your ears are open, but none hears.

Contextual Overview

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I send? who is blind as he that is at peace with me, and blind as the LORD'S servant? 20 Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not. 21 It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honourable. 22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. 23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this? that will hearken and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Seeing: Isaiah 1:3, Isaiah 48:6-8, Numbers 14:22, Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 29:2-4, Nehemiah 9:10-17, Psalms 106:7-13, Psalms 107:43, John 9:37-40, John 11:37-50

opening: Isaiah 58:2, Jeremiah 42:2-5, Ezekiel 33:31, Mark 6:19, Mark 6:20, Acts 28:22-27

Reciprocal: Isaiah 48:8 - thou heardest Jeremiah 4:22 - For my Ezekiel 12:2 - which Zechariah 11:17 - the sword Matthew 21:27 - We cannot tell Mark 11:33 - We Luke 20:7 - that John 12:40 - that they Acts 28:26 - Hearing

Cross-References

Genesis 6:22
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Genesis 42:15
hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Genesis 42:26
And they laded their asses with their corn, and departed thence.
Genesis 42:34
and bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
Genesis 43:5
but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Genesis 43:19
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spake unto him at the door of the house,
Genesis 44:23
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
John 2:5
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Seeing many things, but thou observest not,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, saw Christ in the flesh; they saw the miracles he did; they saw the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead raised; yet they did not give note to these things, and keep them in their minds, and regard them as clear proofs of his being the Messiah:

opening the ears, but he heareth not; they heard John Baptist preach, the forerunner of Christ, and the testimony he bore of him; they heard Christ himself and his apostles; they sometimes opened their ears, and seemed to listen and hear with attention, and wonder at what they heard; and some would own, that never man spake like Jesus; and yet understood not his speech, and hardened their hearts against him; they saw many things with their bodily eyes, but perceived them not with the eyes of their understandings; they heard with their ears, but understood not in their hearts; for their eyes were shut and their ears heavy, Isaiah 6:9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Seeing many things - That is, the people, the Jews, spoken of here as the servants of God. They had had an opportunity of observing many things pertaining to the law, the government, and the dealing of Yahweh. They had often witnessed his interposition in the days of calamity, and he often rescued them from peril. These things they could not but have observed, much as they had chosen to disregard the lessons which they were calculated to convey.

But thou observest not - Thou dost not keep them (תשׁמר tı̂shmor); thou dost not regard them.

Opening the ears - Thou hast thine ears open. They heard the words of the law, and the instructions conveyed by tradition from their fathers, but they did not lay them to heart, or give heed to them (see the note at Isaiah 6:10).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 42:20. 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. Isaiah 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.


 
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