The Meaning of Isaiah 42:19 Explained

Isaiah 42:19

KJV: Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?

YLT: Who is blind but My servant? And deaf as My messenger I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, Yea, blind, as the servant of Jehovah?

Darby: Who is blind, but my servant? and deaf, as my messenger whom I sent? Who is blind as he in whom I have trusted, and blind as Jehovah's servant,

ASV: Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I send? who is blind as he that is at peace with me , and blind as Jehovah's servant?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who [is] blind,  but my servant?  or deaf,  as my messenger  [that] I sent?  who [is] blind  as [he that is] perfect,  and blind  as the LORD'S  servant? 

What does Isaiah 42:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

It is the servant of the Lord, and of all people-Israel (cf. Isaiah 41:8-16)-that was blind and deaf. How ironic it was that God"s messenger to the world, the one that He had brought into covenant relationship with Himself, was blind and deaf, blinder and deafer than any other. Israel, above all others, needed to be able to see and hear what her Lord told her so she could tell it to the world (cf. ch22). The nations were blind (cf. Isaiah 42:6-7), but Israel was both blind and deaf (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; Isaiah 30:9-11; Amos 2:4).
"As Isaiah was the messenger of God to Israel, so Israel was called to be the messenger of God to the world. But the still unanswered question was: What kind of coal from the altar would it take to bring the nation to its senses and cleanse its lips for service?" [1]

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 42:19 mean?

Who [is] blind for but My servant Or deaf as My messenger [whom] I send blind as [he who is] perfect and blind as the servant of Yahweh
מִ֤י עִוֵּר֙ כִּ֣י אִם־ ؟ עַבְדִּ֔י וְחֵרֵ֖שׁ כְּמַלְאָכִ֣י ؟ אֶשְׁלָ֑ח עִוֵּר֙ כִּמְשֻׁלָּ֔ם וְעִוֵּ֖ר כְּעֶ֥בֶד ؟ יְהוָֽה

מִ֤י  Who  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
עִוֵּר֙  blind 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
؟ עַבְדִּ֔י  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וְחֵרֵ֖שׁ  Or  deaf 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חֵרֵשׁ  
Sense: deaf.
כְּמַלְאָכִ֣י  as  My  messenger 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
؟ אֶשְׁלָ֑ח  [whom]  I  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
עִוֵּר֙  blind 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
כִּמְשֻׁלָּ֔ם  as  [he  who  is]  perfect 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
וְעִוֵּ֖ר  and  blind 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
כְּעֶ֥בֶד  as  the  servant 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
؟ יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.