Isaiah 42:20

20 Whether thou that seest many things, shalt not keep (it in thy mind)? Whether thou that hast open ears, shalt not hear?

Isaiah 42:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:20

Seeing many things, but thou observest not
The Scribes and Pharisees, saw Christ in the flesh; they saw the miracles he did; they saw the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead raised; yet they did not give note to these things, and keep them in their minds, and regard them as clear proofs of his being the Messiah: opening the ears, but he heareth not;
they heard John Baptist preach, the forerunner of Christ, and the testimony he bore of him; they heard Christ himself and his apostles; they sometimes opened their ears, and seemed to listen and hear with attention, and wonder at what they heard; and some would own, that never man spake like Jesus; and yet understood not his speech, and hardened their hearts against him; they saw many things with their bodily eyes, but perceived them not with the eyes of their understandings; they heard with their ears, but understood not in their hearts; for their eyes were shut and their ears heavy, ( Isaiah 6:9 ) ( Matthew 13:14 Matthew 13:15 ) .

Isaiah 42:20 In-Context

18 Ye deaf men, hear; and ye blind men, behold to see. (Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look and see!)

19 Who is blind, no but my servant? and deaf, but he to whom I sent my messengers? Who is blind, but he that is sold? and who is blind, but the servant of the Lord?

20 Whether thou that seest many things, shalt not keep (it in thy mind)? Whether thou that hast open ears, shalt not hear?

21 And the Lord would, that he should hallow it, and magnify the law, and enhance it. (And the Lord desired, that he would hallow the Law, and magnify it, and exalt it, or lift it up.)

22 But that people was ravished, and wasted; all they be the snare of young men, and be hid in the houses of prisons. They be made into raven, and none (there) is that delivereth; into ravishing, and none there is that saith, Yield thou. (But that people was robbed, and taken as prey; they all be ensnared, and be hid in prison houses. They be made into raven, or spoils, and there is no one who rescueth them; yea, into robbing, and there is no one who saith, Yield thou/Give thou them back!)