44.18
The Book of Isaiah 44.18 · They do not know, they do not understand44.18They do not know, they do not understand
The prophet steps back to say why this happens: their eyes and hearts have been plastered over.
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לֹא1
lōʾ
They do not
יָדְעוּ2
yāḏəʿû
knowthey know
וְלֹא3
wə-lōʾ
and do not
יָבִינוּ4
yāḇînû
understandthey understand
, כִּי5
kî
forbecause
טַח6
ṭaḥ
he has smeared overhe plastered
עֵינֵיהֶם7
ʿênêhem
their eyes
מֵרְאוֹת8
mē-rəʾôṯ
so they cannot seefrom seeing
, לִבֹּתָם׃9
libbōṯām
their hearts
מֵהַשְׂכִּיל10
mē-haśkîl
so they cannot graspfrom having insight
. They do not know and do not understand, for he has smeared over their eyes so they cannot see, their hearts so they cannot grasp.
They do not know and do not understand, for he has smeared over their eyes so they cannot see, their hearts so they cannot grasp.
44.19
The Book of Isaiah 44.19 · Should I bow to a block of wood?44.19Should I bow to a block of wood?
He never stops to think. If he did, he would hear how ridiculous his own words sound.
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And he does not bring it back to his heart, and no knowledge and no understanding to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire, and I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and ate. And the rest of it, should I make it into an abomination? Should I bow down to a block of wood?”
“He has smeared over their eyes so they cannot see”. The verb ṭaḥ is plastering a wall. Who did the smearing is left open; the same blindness is laid on Israel in the throne vision, where Isaiah is sent to “make their eyes heavy” (6:10). The idol cannot see, and neither can the man who prays to it.