Yeshayah 42:18

18 Hear, ye chereshim (deaf people); and look, ye ivrim (blind people) that ye may see.

Yeshayah 42:18 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:18

Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
] Jarchi and Kimchi think these words are spoken to Israel, who, as Aben Ezra says, were deaf and blind in heart; but they are rather an exhortation to the Gentiles that remained impenitent and unbelieving, and who were deaf to the voice of the Gospel, and blind as to the knowledge of it; and the purport of the exhortation is, that they would make use of their external hearing and sight, which they had, that they might attain to a spiritual hearing and understanding of divine things; "for faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God", ( Romans 10:17 ) to hear the Gospel preached, and to look into the Scriptures, and read the word of God, are the means of attaining light and knowledge in spiritual things; and these are within the compass of natural men, who are internally deaf and blind.

Yeshayah 42:18 In-Context

16 And I will bring the ivrim (blind) by a derech that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make choshech into ohr before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in pesel, that say to the masekhah (molten images), You (plural) are eloheinu (our g-ds).

18 Hear, ye chereshim (deaf people); and look, ye ivrim (blind people) that ye may see.

19 Who is ivver (blind), but Avdi (Yisroel]? Or cheresh (deaf), like malachi that I sent? Who is ivver (blind) like meshullam (the one committed) [to Me] and ivver like the Eved Hashem [i.e., Yisroel].

20 Seeing rabbot, but thou observest not; opening the oznayim, but he heareth not.