Isaiah 44:18 kjv
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
Isaiah 44:18 nkjv
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.
Isaiah 44:18 niv
They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
Isaiah 44:18 esv
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.
Isaiah 44:18 nlt
Such stupidity and ignorance!
Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
Isaiah 44 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 44:18 | For he hath covered them over, and they shall not see the ground. | God’s judgment of spiritual blindness |
| Psalm 115:4 | But their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. | Idols lack true life and power |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | Every man is brutish and void of knowledge; every goldsmith shall be confounded by the idol... | Consequences of idol worship |
| Mark 4:12 | That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand... | Jesus quotes Isaiah concerning spiritual dullness |
| John 12:40 | For he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. | God allows spiritual blindness for continued sin |
| 2 Corinthians 4:4 | In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not... | The influence of the "god of this world" |
| Romans 1:21 | Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations... | The cycle leading to darkened minds |
| Acts 28:26 | Saying, Go unto this people, and say, A hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand... | Paul applies Isaiah's prophecy again |
| Isaiah 6:9 | And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not. | The original commissioning of Isaiah's ministry |
| Isaiah 6:10 | Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. | God's purpose in prophesying this spiritual state |
| Deuteronomy 28:28 | The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart. | God's curse for disobedience |
| Proverbs 29:18 | Where there is no vision, the people perish... | Lack of spiritual understanding leads to ruin |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Consequence of spiritual ignorance |
| Romans 11:8 | (According to it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. | Paul cites Old Testament passages concerning spiritual blindness |
| 1 Corinthians 2:14 | But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. | Natural man's inability to comprehend spiritual truth |
| Isaiah 44:19 | Doth he not lay it to his heart, and is it not in his hands to acknowledge that he is half a god in my right hand? | Rhetorical question highlighting the senselessness of idolatry |
| John 9:39 | And Jesus said, For judgment am I come into this world, that they which see might be blind; and that they which see might be blind. | Jesus on the paradoxical outcome of His ministry |
| Psalm 119:18 | Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. | Plea for spiritual understanding |
| 2 Timothy 2:26 | And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. | The enemy's role in blinding people |
| Isaiah 40:14 | With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the path of understanding? | God's unique wisdom contrasted with human idols |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 18 Meaning
The verse describes the people's complete blindness to spiritual truth. They are unable to see or understand because their minds have been darkened and their hearts hardened, preventing them from recognizing the truth of God. This inability to perceive is a direct consequence of their own choices and the subsequent influence of idolatry upon them.
Isaiah 44 18 Context
Isaiah 44 is part of a larger section of Isaiah's prophecy that deals with God's judgment on Israel and the nations, particularly concerning idolatry, but also offers hope of future restoration and the certainty of God's salvation through His servant. This chapter directly addresses the folly of idol worship. The people of Israel are depicted as having turned away from the one true God to worship inanimate idols made by human hands.
Verse 18 follows the descriptions of the creation of idols (verses 9-20) and highlights the utter inability of those who worship them to discern the truth. The people are portrayed as willingly deceiving themselves, captivated by their false gods to the point of spiritual blindness and a complete disconnect from reality. The verse serves as a powerful indictment of their spiritual state, emphasizing that their choices have led them into a darkness where they cannot perceive the truth even when it is laid before them.
The historical context is crucial: Israel was surrounded by nations that practiced polytheism and idol worship. By the time Isaiah is prophesying, elements of these practices had unfortunately influenced some within Israel itself. This prophecy, therefore, is both a critique of surrounding cultures and a warning and rebuke to God's own people.
Isaiah 44 18 Word Analysis
- וּֽלְמֵיטַ֖ב (u·lemê·ṭaḇ): "And to the best" or "And the best." However, in this context, it likely implies that even when they possess good things or the capacity for understanding, they misuse or ignore them. It highlights a deliberate refusal to use their faculties correctly.
- מָסַ֥ךְ (mā·saḵ): "covered over," "veiled," "thickened." The root relates to covering or shutting off. Here it describes a deliberate blinding, a supernatural or self-imposed covering over their perception.
- ל֑וֹ (lōw): "him," referring to the individual or the people.
- וְעֵינַ֖י (wə·‘ê·na·yim): "and his eyes."
- נָצָ֥ר (nā·ṣār): "to guard," "to preserve," but here in the Piel stem, it means "covered over," "obscured," "kept from seeing." This reinforces the idea of deliberate blinding or being blinded.
- לִרְאֹ֥ת (lir·’ō·ṯ): "to see."
- אֶת־ (’eṯ-): "conjunction," marks the definite object.
- הָאָ֥רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ): "the ground," "the earth." This implies seeing and interacting with the physical world as it is, but by extension, also the spiritual "ground" or reality.
Words/Groups of Words Analysis:
- "The best... has covered him, and his eyes...": This structure implies that even what is good or designed to bring clarity becomes a means of obfuscation because of their hearts' condition.
- "...covered over his eyes to see the ground": The inability to "see the ground" is profound. It means they cannot perceive basic reality, the tangible world, nor the spiritual truth that underpins it. They are unable to ground themselves in truth, living in a manufactured delusion. This links directly to the context of idolatry – they are spiritually unable to discern the ground truth that God is the Creator, and idols are mere man-made objects.
Isaiah 44 18 Bonus Section
This verse strongly echoes themes found in Jesus' use of Isaiah in the New Testament, particularly concerning spiritual discernment. The concept of deliberately chosen blindness as a form of judgment, where the people's minds are covered and their capacity to see is obstructed, is a recurring motif. The "covering" is not always external but originates from an internal rejection of truth. The inability to "see the ground" speaks to a fundamental disconnection from the created order and its divine purpose, a consequence of worshipping the created rather than the Creator. This blindness is not absolute inability, but a refusal to engage with truth when it is presented, stemming from a heart that has become calloused by repeated rejection of God's ways.
Isaiah 44 18 Commentary
Isaiah 44:18 is a stark declaration of the consequences of idolatry and persistent rebellion against God. It is not merely about mistaking a statue for God; it is about a deeper, self-inflicted blindness. The people have chosen a path that so darkens their minds and hardens their hearts that they become incapable of perceiving truth, even when it is evident. This spiritual perversion means they cannot see or understand even the most basic realities, both physical and spiritual. This inability to "see the ground" signifies a loss of grounding in truth and reality, leaving them susceptible to deception and ultimately, destruction.
Practical Usage Example:
- When an individual persistently chooses to ignore God's commands and embrace worldly values over biblical ones, they risk a similar spiritual blindness, becoming unable to discern right from wrong or God's will in their life.
- A community that idolizes wealth, power, or national pride over spiritual principles can lose its moral compass, unable to "see the ground" of true justice and human dignity.