Isaiah 42:18

18 surdi audite et caeci intuemini ad videndum

Isaiah 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.

Isaiah 42:18 In-Context

16 et ducam caecos in via quam nesciunt in semitis quas ignoraverunt ambulare eos faciam ponam tenebras coram eis in lucem et prava in recta haec verba feci eis et non dereliqui eos
17 conversi sunt retrorsum confundantur confusione qui confidunt in sculptili qui dicunt conflatili vos dii nostri
18 surdi audite et caeci intuemini ad videndum
19 quis caecus nisi servus meus et surdus nisi ad quem nuntios meos misi quis caecus nisi qui venundatus est quis caecus nisi servus Domini
20 qui vides multa nonne custodies qui apertas habes aures nonne audies
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.