The Meaning of Isaiah 42:16 Explained

Isaiah 42:16

KJV: And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

YLT: And I have caused the blind to go, In a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I cause them to tread, I make a dark place before them become light, And unlevelled places become a plain, These are the things I have done to them, And I have not forsaken them.

Darby: And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

ASV: And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will bring  the blind  by a way  [that] they knew  not; I will lead  them in paths  [that] they have not known:  I will make  darkness  light  before  them, and crooked things  straight.  These things  will I do  unto them, and not forsake  them. 

What does Isaiah 42:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

However, He would lead His own people, those unable to find their way through the blinding storm of His judgment, to safety (cf. Revelation 12:14). The people of Israel were blind and could not bring the Gentiles into the light, but God would lead His blind servants (cf. Isaiah 42:7). He promised definitely to do this.

Context Summary

Isaiah 42:14-25 - A Deaf And Blind Messenger
There are times in our lives when God seems to hold His peace. Evil is rife, bad men prosper, society lies under the spell of vice. It is only temporary, however. Then God comes forth out of the silence, and shows Himself "strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." He brings the blind "by a way that they knew not," and makes "the crooked places straight."
These wonderful things are wrought not for the wise and holy alone, but for the blind and the deaf, who nevertheless desire to serve Him. See Isaiah 42:19. God's help is not conditioned by our merit, but by our faith. In the eyes of men we may be the least fit to claim divine succor. But our deficiencies and failures constitute our most eloquent claim-God knew what we were, before He ever stooped to identify Himself with us. He is pleased to help us "for His righteousness' sake." His name and character must be maintained. Therefore He has magnified the law and made it honorable by the matchless obedience and death of His only begotten Son. See Galatians 4:4-5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 42

1  The office of Christ, graced with meekness and constancy
5  God's promise unto him
10  An exhortation to praise God for his Gospel
13  God will manifest himself, and check idolatry
18  He reproves the people of incredulity

What do the individual words in Isaiah 42:16 mean?

And I will bring the blind by a way not they did know in paths not they have known I will lead them I will make darkness before them light and crooked places straight These things I will do for them and not forsake them
וְהוֹלַכְתִּ֣י עִוְרִ֗ים בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ בִּנְתִיב֥וֹת לֹֽא־ יָדְע֖וּ אַדְרִיכֵ֑ם אָשִׂים֩ מַחְשָׁ֨ךְ לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם לָא֗וֹר וּמַֽעֲקַשִּׁים֙ לְמִישׁ֔וֹר אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים עֲשִׂיתִ֖ם וְלֹ֥א עֲזַבְתִּֽים

וְהוֹלַכְתִּ֣י  And  I  will  bring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
עִוְרִ֗ים  the  blind 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙  by  a  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
יָדָ֔עוּ  they  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
בִּנְתִיב֥וֹת  in  paths 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: נָתִיב 
Sense: trodden with the feet, path, pathway.
יָדְע֖וּ  they  have  known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אַדְרִיכֵ֑ם  I  will  lead  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
אָשִׂים֩  I  will  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
מַחְשָׁ֨ךְ  darkness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַחְשָׁךְ  
Sense: dark place, darkness, secrecy.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לָא֗וֹר  light 
Parse: Preposition, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
וּמַֽעֲקַשִּׁים֙  and  crooked  places 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַעֲקַשִּׁים  
Sense: crooked place, twisted, crooked things.
לְמִישׁ֔וֹר  straight 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִישֹׁור  
Sense: level place, uprightness.
אֵ֚לֶּה  These 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הַדְּבָרִ֔ים  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
עֲשִׂיתִ֖ם  I  will  do  for  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עֲזַבְתִּֽים  forsake  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.