Isaiah 6:9

9 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ ^[a]

Isaiah 6:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 6:9

And he said, go, and tell this people
What is and will be their case and condition, as follows: hear ye indeed;
the words of the prophets sent unto them, yea, Christ himself incarnate preaching among them; the great Prophet Moses said should be raised up unto them: but understand not;
neither that he is the Messiah, nor the doctrines delivered by him; which were spoken to them in parables; see ( Matthew 13:13-15 ) : and see ye indeed:
the miracles wrought by him, as raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind, causing the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak: but perceive not;
that he is the Messiah, though all the characteristics pointed at in prophecy are upon him, and such miracles are done by him.

Isaiah 6:9 In-Context

7 And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”

9 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

10 Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. ”

11 Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew; LXX ‘You shall be ever hearing, but never understanding; you shall be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Cited in Matthew 13:14, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, and Acts 28:26