Isaiah 44:18

Green's Literal Translation

They do not know nor discern; for He has smeared their eyes from seeing, their hearts from understanding.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Such people do not comprehendand cannot understand,for he has shut their eyes so they cannot see,and their minds so they cannot understand.

Hebrew Names Version
They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.

King James Version
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

English Standard Version
They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

New American Standard Bible
They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

New Century Version
Those people don't know what they are doing. They don't understand! It is as if their eyes are covered so they can't see. Their minds don't understand.

Amplified Bible
They do not know, nor do they understand, for God has muddied their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts (minds) as well so that they cannot understand.

World English Bible
They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.

Geneva Bible (1587)
They haue not knowen, nor vnderstand: for God hath shut their eyes yt they cannot see, and their heartes, that they cannot vnderstand.

Legacy Standard Bible
They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they will have no insight.

Berean Standard Bible
They cannot comprehend or understand, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see, and closed their minds so they cannot understand.

Contemporary English Version
Those who worship idols are stupid and blind!

Complete Jewish Bible
Such people know nothing, understand nothing. Their eyes are sealed shut, so that they can't see; their hearts too, so they can't understand.

Darby Translation
They have no knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand.

Easy-to-Read Version
People like that don't know what they are doing! They don't understand. It is as if they have mud in their eyes so they cannot see. Their minds cannot understand.

George Lamsa Translation
They have not known nor understood; for the vision of their eyes is shut that they cannot see, and the understanding of their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

Good News Translation
Such people are too stupid to know what they are doing. They close their eyes and their minds to the truth.

Lexham English Bible
They do not know, and they do not understand, for their eyes are besmeared so that they cannot see, their minds so that they have no insight.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yet men nether considre ner vnderstonde, because their eyes are stopped, that they can not se: and their hertes, that they cannot perceaue.

American Standard Version
They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Bible in Basic English
They have no knowledge or wisdom; for he has put a veil over their eyes, so that they may not see; and on their hearts, so that they may not give attention.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They know not, neither do they understand; for their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

King James Version (1611)
They haue not knowen, nor vnderstood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot vnderstand.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yet men neither consider nor vnderstande, because their eyes be stopped that they can not see, and their heartes that they can not perceaue.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They have no understanding to perceive; for they have been blinded so that they should not see with their eyes, nor perceive with their heart.

English Revised Version
They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei knewen not, nether vndurstoden, for thei han foryete, that her iye se not, and that thei vndurstonde not with her herte.

Update Bible Version
They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.

Webster's Bible Translation
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.

New English Translation
They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.

New King James Version
They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

New Living Translation
Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.

New Life Bible
They do not know, and they do not understand. For the Lord has covered their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot understand.

New Revised Standard
They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They have not taken note, neither can they perceive, - He hath besmeared - past seeing - their eyes, Past understanding, their hearts;

Douay-Rheims Bible
They have not known, nor understood: for their eyes are covered that they may not see, and that they may not understand with their heart.

Revised Standard Version
They know not, nor do they discern; for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their minds, so that they cannot understand.

Young's Literal Translation
They have not known, nor do they understand, For He hath daubed their eyes from seeing, Their heart from acting wisely.

THE MESSAGE
Pretty stupid, wouldn't you say? Don't they have eyes in their heads? Are their brains working at all? Doesn't it occur to them to say, "Half of this tree I used for firewood: I baked bread, roasted meat, and enjoyed a good meal. And now I've used the rest to make an abominable no-god. Here I am praying to a stick of wood!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

Contextual Overview

⁹ Those who form a carved image are all of them vanity. And their delights do not profit; and they are their own witnesses. They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed. ¹⁰ Who has formed a god, or poured out an image to no profit? ¹¹ Behold, all his companions shall be ashamed; and the craftsmen, they are from men. They shall assemble, all of them shall stand; they shall dread; they shall be shamed together. ¹² He carves iron with a tool; he works in the coals and forms it with hammers, and works it with his powerful arm; then he is hungry, and has no strength; he drinks no water and is weary. ¹³ He fashions wood, and stretches a line; he marks it with a stylus; he shapes it with a carving tool, and he marks it with a compass. And he makes it according to the figure of a man, as the beauty of a man, to sit in the house. ¹⁴ He cuts down cedars and takes cypress and oak, and he makes the trees of the forest strong for him. He plants a tree, and rain makes it grow. ¹⁵ And it shall be for a man to burn; yea, he takes of them and is warmed; and he kindles it and bakes bread. Yea, he makes a god and worships; he makes a carved image and bows to it. ¹⁶ He burns half of it in the fire; he eats flesh on half of it; he roasts roast, and is satisfied. Then he warms himself and says, Ah, I am warm; I have seen the fire. ¹⁷ And he makes a god of the rest, his carved image; he bows to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, Deliver me, for you are my god. ¹⁸ They do not know nor discern; for He has smeared their eyes from seeing, their hearts from understanding.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

have not: Isaiah 44:9, Isaiah 44:20, Isaiah 45:20, Isaiah 46:7, Isaiah 46:8, Jeremiah 10:8, Jeremiah 10:14, Romans 1:21-23

for he hath: Isaiah 6:10, Isaiah 29:10, Psalms 81:12, Matthew 13:14, Matthew 13:15, Acts 14:16, Romans 1:28, Romans 11:8-10, 2 Corinthians 4:3, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

shut: Heb. daubed

cannot: Isaiah 56:11, Psalms 92:6, Proverbs 2:5-9, Proverbs 28:5, Jeremiah 5:21, Daniel 12:10, Hosea 14:9, Matthew 12:34, John 5:44, John 8:43, John 12:39, John 12:40, 2 Peter 2:14

Reciprocal: Judges 18:24 - what have Psalms 40:4 - as turn Psalms 106:7 - Our Psalms 135:18 - They that Isaiah 1:3 - but Israel Isaiah 6:9 - Hear ye Isaiah 27:11 - for it is Isaiah 43:8 - General Jeremiah 51:17 - Every Hosea 4:12 - for Hosea 4:14 - therefore Hosea 10:2 - Their heart is divided Matthew 6:23 - thine Matthew 13:13 - General Matthew 24:39 - General Mark 3:5 - hardness Mark 4:12 - That seeing Mark 8:18 - see Luke 8:10 - that seeing Luke 11:34 - but Luke 19:42 - but Luke 20:7 - that John 6:44 - man John 9:39 - might be Romans 10:19 - foolish Romans 11:7 - and the rest 2 Corinthians 3:14 - their Ephesians 4:18 - the understanding

Cross-References

Genesis 18:30
And he said, Please do not my Lord be angry, that I may speak; perhaps thirty will be found there. And He said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.

Genesis 18:32
And he said, I pray, let not my Lord be angry that I may speak only this time; perhaps ten will be found there. And He said, I will not destroy because of the ten.

Genesis 41:40
You shall be over my house, and at your mouth all my people shall kiss the hand . Only in respect to the throne will I be greater than you.

Genesis 41:44
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without a word from you not a man shall lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 44:19
My lord asked his servants, saying, Is there a brother or a father to you?

Genesis 44:23
And you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you shall not see my face any more.

Exodus 32:22
And Aaron said, Let not anger of my lord glow. You know the people, that it is in evil.

2 Samuel 14:12
And the woman said, Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Speak.

Esther 1:12
But Vashti the queen refused to come at the king's command by his eunuchs. And the king was very angry, and his fury burned within him.

Job 33:31
Pay attention, O Job; listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They have not known nor understood,.... Who the true God is, nor the worship that is due to him alone; they do not know nor understand divine and spiritual things; nay, they have not the knowledge and understanding of men; they want common sense that can do and say such things as before mentioned, both idol makers and idol worshippers:

for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see, and their heart that they cannot understand; either the devil, as some think, the god of this world, that blinds their eyes from seeing the folly of such gross idolatry, which he, deceiving them, leads them into; or rather God himself, who, because they like not to retain him in their knowledge, gives them up to a reprobate and injudicious mind, to believe a lie, and worship a false god; this he permits, orders, and overrules to some good ends and purposes: this is to be understood of the eyes of the understanding, which, as the word i signifies, are "daubed" and plastered over, that there is no opening of them, and seeing with them; which is the judicial blindness and hardness of heart, which God sometimes in righteous judgment gives up men unto; see Romans 1:28.

i תח עיניהם "oblevit oculos eorum", Montanus; "obleverit", Cocceius; "quod [sculptile] oblinat", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They have not known nor understood - They are stupid, ignorant, and blind. Nothing could more strikingly show their ignorance and stupidity than this idol worship.

He hath shut their eyes - God hath closed their eyes. Margin, ‘Daubed.’ The word used here, טה ṭah from טוה ṭûah denotes properly “to spread over”; to besmear; to plaster; as, e. g., a wall with mortar Lev 14:42; 1 Chronicles 29:4; Ezekiel 13:10; Ezekiel 22:28. Here it means to cover over the eyes so as to prevent vision; and hence, metaphorically, to make them stupid, ignorant, dull. It is attributed to God in accordance with the common statement of the Scriptures, that he does what he permits to be done (see the notes at Isaiah 6:9-10). It does not mean that God had done it by any physical, or direct agency, but that it had occurred under the administration of his Providence. It is also true that the Hebrew writers sometimes employ an active verb when the signification is passive, and when the main idea is, that anything was in fact done. Here the main point is not the agent by which this was done, but the fact that their eyes were blinded - and perhaps all the force of the verb טה ṭah used here would be expressed if it was rendered in an impersonal, or in a passive form, ‘it is covered as to their eyes,’ that is, their eyes are shut, without suggesting that it was done by God. So the Septuagint renders it, Ἀπημαυρώθησαν Apēmaurōthēsan - ‘They are blind,’ or involved in darkness.

So the Chaldee, מטמטמן m^eṭm^eṭ^emân (also in the plural) - ‘Their eyes are obscured’ or blind. It cannot be proved from this text that God is, by direct agency, the author by whom it was done. It was not uncommon to shut up, or seal up the eyes for various purposes in the East, and unquestionably the prophet alludes to some such custom. ‘It is one of the solemnities at a Jewish wedding at Aleppo, according to Dr. Russell, who mentions it as the most remarkable thing in their ceremonies at that time. It is done by fastening the eyelids together with a gum, and the bridegroom is the person, he says, if he remembered right, that opens the bride’s eyes at the appointed time. It is also used as a punishment in those countries. So Sir Thomas Roe’s chaplain, in his account of his voyages to East India, tells us of a son of the Great Mogul, whom he had seen, and with whom Sir Thomas had conversed, that had before that time been cast into prison by his father, where his eyes were sealed up, by something put before them, which might not be taken off for three years; after which time the seal was taken away, that he might with freedom enjoy the light, though not his liberty.’ (Harmer’s Obs. vol. iii., pp. 507, 508. Ed. Lond. 8vo, 1808.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 44:18. He hath shut their eyes - "Their eyes are closed up"] The Septuagint, Chaldee, and Vulgate, for טח tach, read טחו, tachu. Isaiah 6:10.