Isaiah 42:7

7 That thou shouldest open the eyes of blind men; that thou shouldest lead out of enclosing together a bound man, (and) from the house of prison men sitting in darknesses. (So that thou shouldest open the eyes of the blind; and that thou shouldest lead out the bound, or the prisoners, from being enclosed, yea, those sitting in darkness, from out of the prison house.)

Isaiah 42:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:7

To open the blind eyes
Of the idolatrous Gentiles, who were spiritually blind, and knew not the wretchedness of their case; the exceeding sinfulness of sin; their need of a Saviour, and who he was; as they did, when their eyes were opened by means of the Gospel sent among them, through the energy of the divine Spirit; for this is a work of almighty power and efficacious grace: to bring out the prisoners from the prison;
who were concluded in sin, shut up in unbelief, and under the law, the captives of Satan, and held fast prisoners by him and their own lusts, under the dominion of which they were: and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house:
of sin, Satan, and the law; being under which, they were in a state of darkness and ignorance as to things divine and spiritual. The allusion is to prisons, which are commonly dark places. Vitringa, by the "prisoners", understands the Jews shut up under the law; and by those in "darkness" the Gentiles, destitute of all divine knowledge.

Isaiah 42:7 In-Context

5 The Lord God saith these things, making (the) heavens of nought, and stretching forth them, making steadfast the earth, and those things that burgeon [out] of it, giving breath to the people, that is on it, and giving spirit to them that tread on it. (The Lord God saith these things, making the heavens out of nothing, and stretching them forth, making steadfast the earth, and those things that burgeon out of it, giving breath to the people who be on it, yea, giving spirit to those who tread upon it.)
6 I the Lord have called thee in rightfulness, and I took thine hand, and kept thee, and I gave thee into a bond of peace of the people, and into light of folks. (I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and I took thy hand, and kept thee, and I gave thee to be a covenant for the people, and a light for the nations.)
7 That thou shouldest open the eyes of blind men; that thou shouldest lead out of enclosing together a bound man, (and) from the house of prison men sitting in darknesses. (So that thou shouldest open the eyes of the blind; and that thou shouldest lead out the bound, or the prisoners, from being enclosed, yea, those sitting in darkness, from out of the prison house.)
8 I am the Lord, this is my name; I shall not give my glory to another, and my praising to graven images. (I am the Lord, that is my name; I shall not give my glory to another, nor my praises to carved idols.)
9 Lo! those things that were the first, be come, and (now) I tell new things; I shall make heard to you, before that those begin to be made. (Lo! those things that were to come first, have come to pass, and now I shall tell of new things; yea, before that they begin to be made, I shall tell you of them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.