Isaiah 43:8

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE THAT HAVE EYES, AND THE DEAF THAT HAVE EARS - Solemn challenge given by God to the nations to argue with Him the question of His superiority to their idols, and His power to deliver Israel (). BLIND PEOPLE - the Gentiles, who also, like Israel (), are blind (spiritually), though having eyes - i:e., natural faculties whereby they might know God, as originally revealed to their forefathers, and as even still He manifests Himself in the works of nature (Romans 1:20) (Lowth). Or else, the Jews (Vitringa)....

8._That I may bring out. _The brevity of the words makes the meaning somewhat obscure. Some translate it thus, “I will bring out the blind, and him who hath eyes,” that is, both the blind and them that see, both the deaf and them that hear. Some explain _blind _to mean those who have indeed eyes, but so dim that they cannot perceive the secrets of heavenly wisdom. But when I take a careful survey of the whole, I prefer to interpret those phrases separately. “I will bring out the blind, so as to restore sight to them; I will bring out the deaf, so that they shall recover their hearing.” And thus the meaning of the words is, “To bring out the blind, and they shall have eyes; and to bring out the deaf, and they shall have ears.” The people are first delivered, and then eyes and ears are restored to them. The Lord did this when he brought his people out of Babylon; but undoubtedly the Prophe...

8-13 Idolaters are called to appear in defence of their idols. Those who make them, and trust in them, are like unto them. They have the shape and faculties of men; but they have not common sense. But God's people know the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the kind care of his providence, and the truth of his promise. All servants of God can give such an account of what he has wrought in them, and done for them, as may lead others to know and believe his power, truth, and love...

Verse Isaiah 43:8. _BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE THAT HAVE EYES_ - "Bring forth the people, blind, although they have eyes"] I understand this of the Gentiles, as the verse following, not of the Jews. Their natural faculties, if they had made a proper use of them, must have led them to the knowledge of the being and attributes of the one true God; "for his eternal power and Godhead," if well attended to, are clearly seen in his works, (Romans 1:20,) and would have preserved them from running into the folly and absurdity of worshipping idols. They are here challenged to produce the evidence of the power and foreknowledge of their idol gods; and the Jews are just afterwards, Isaiah 43:10, appealed to as witnesses for God in...

BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE - Many have understood this of the Jews. So Vitringa, Rosenmuller, Grotius, and others understand it. But Lowth, more correctly, regards it as referring to the Gentiles. It is designed as an argument to show the superiority of God over all idols, and to demonstrate that he was able to deliver his people from captivity and exile. He appeals, therefore Isaiah 43:9, to his own people in proof of his divinity and power. None of the pagan Isaiah 43:8 had been able to predict future events, none of the pagan gods, therefore, could save; but Yahweh, who had so often foretold events that were fulfilled, was able to deliver, and of that fact his own people had had abundant evidence. THAT HAVE EYES - They had natural facu

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 43:1 A RENEWED PROMISE TO ISRAEL OF PROTECTION AND DELIVERANCE. Severe rebuke (Isaiah 42:18) is followed, as so often in Isaiah (Isaiah 1:25-23; Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 9:1, etc.), by comfort and consolation. Israel is assured that God has not cast him off, and promised the comfort of the Divine presence during the existing tribulation (verse 2), and. a speedy restorati

BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE THAT HAVE EYES, AND THE DEAF THAT HAVE EARS,.... The Targum applies this to the bringing of the people of Israel out of Egypt; and others understand it of their deliverance from the Babylonish captivity; and some of the exclusion of them from the kingdom of heaven, and casting them into outward darkness, according to Matthew 8:12, but it is rather to be understood of the conviction of them; though better of the Gentiles, and of the enlightening of them, who before were blind; and causing them to hear, who before were deaf to spiritual things, agreeably to what goes before. It seems best to consider the words as a summons to the Heathens uncalled, to the Roman Pagan empire, to come forth and appear, who were as blind and deaf as the idols they worshipped, and plead their cause, agreeably to what follows....

Isaiah 43:1. _But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,_ The Lord reminds us that he first created us, and that he afterwards molded us; we are like Jacob by nature, but he has made us Israel by grace. Isaiah 43:1. _Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine._ Redemption is a deep well of comfort. If the Lord has indeed bought us with his blood, he will not think lightly of us; and if he has called us by name, and declared that we belong to him, we may rest assured that he will not lose his own property, but that he will preserve it to the end. Isaiah 43:2. When thou passest through the

CHAPTER 43 Jehovah Speaks in Comfort to His People 1. _What Jehovah is and will be to Israel (Isaiah 43:1)_ 2. _Second address to the blind and deaf people (Isaiah 43:8)_ 3. _Jehovah deals with their enemies (Isaiah 43:14)_ 4. _Blessed things to come: They shall show forth My praise (Isaiah 43:18)_ 5. _Jehovah's loving appeal and promise to remember their sins no more (Isaiah 43:22) _ Chapter s 43-45 must be studied together. Jehovah speaks in these Chapter s as nowhere else in the prophetic Word. Note the man

ISRAEL CALLED BY YAHWEH AS HIS WITNESS BEFORE THE NATIONS. The scene is again a court of justice. The nations, Yahweh's opponents, are already assembled (read are for let be). Yahweh commands His people to be summoned as witnesses for Him. Blind as Israel may have been to the deeper significance of Yahweh's actions, yet even she has eyes to see the facts of history. What god can forecast and announce the future as Yahweh has done? Let them produce any witnesses who can attest the claim. Israel will attest Yahweh's claims and convince the heathen of His uniqueness. He alone who foretold the event can accomplish it. No strange god did this. His control of history is absolute. ISAIAH 43:9. FORMER THINGS: possibly read, beforehand. OR: translate, and; witnesses is the subject of hear, and say....