Isaiah 42:16
New International Version
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

New Living Translation
I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.

English Standard Version
And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.

Berean Standard Bible
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.

New American Standard Bible
“I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them And uneven land into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”

NASB 1995
“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”

NASB 1977
“And I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”

Legacy Standard Bible
I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not forsake them.”

Amplified Bible
“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know; I will guide them in paths that they do not know. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These things I will do [for them], And I will not leave them abandoned or undone.”

Christian Standard Bible
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not abandon them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I shall lead the blind in the way that they do not know, and I shall make them walk in the paths that they have not known. I shall make darkness light before them and I shall smooth the rugged places. These responses I have made to them and I have not forsaken them

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, and I will cause them to tread paths which they have not known: I will turn darkness into light for them, and crooked things into straight. These things will I do, and will not forsake them.

Contemporary English Version
I will lead the blind on roads they have never known; I will guide them on paths they have never traveled. Their road is dark and rough, but I will give light to keep them from stumbling. This is my solemn promise.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will lead the blind into the way which they know not: and in the paths which they were ignorant of I will make them walk: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight: these things have I done to them, and have not forsaken them.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.

Good News Translation
"I will lead my blind people by roads they have never traveled. I will turn their darkness into light and make rough country smooth before them. These are my promises, and I will keep them without fail.

International Standard Version
I'll help the blind walk, even on a road they do not know; I'll guide them in directions they do not know. I'll turn the dark places into light in front of them, and the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I won't abandon them.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, In paths that they knew not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and rugged places plain. These things will I do, And I will not leave them undone.

Literal Standard Version
And I have caused the blind to go, | In a way they have not known, | I cause them to tread in paths they have not known, | I make a dark place become light before them, | And unleveled places become a plain, | These [are] the things I have done to them, | And I have not forsaken them.

Majority Standard Bible
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

New American Bible
I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them.

NET Bible
I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. I will turn the darkness in front of them into light, and level out the rough ground. This is what I will do for them. I will not abandon them.

New Revised Standard Version
I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

New Heart English Bible
I will bring the blind by a way that they do not know. I will lead them in paths that they do not know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 for them, and not forsake them.

World English Bible
I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A New Song of Praise
15I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes. 16I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them. 17But those who trust in idols and say to molten images, ‘You are our gods!’ will be turned back in utter shame.…

Cross References
Luke 1:78
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,

Luke 1:79
to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.

Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.'

Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.


Treasury of Scripture

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 to them, and not forsake them.

I will bring

Isaiah 29:18,24
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness…

Isaiah 30:21
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Isaiah 32:3
And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

lead

Isaiah 41:3
He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.

Joshua 3:4
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

Hosea 2:6
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

crooked

Isaiah 40:4
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isaiah 45:2
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

Ecclesiastes 1:15
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

straight.

Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

Jeremiah 32:39-41
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: …

Ezekiel 14:23
And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

Jump to Previous
Blind Cause Caused Crooked Darkness Forsake Forsaken Ground Guide Guiding Lead Level Paths Places Plain Plains Roads Rough Rugged Straight Strange Tread Turn Undone Way Ways
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Blind Cause Caused Crooked Darkness Forsake Forsaken Ground Guide Guiding Lead Level Paths Places Plain Plains Roads Rough Rugged Straight Strange Tread Turn Undone Way Ways
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.














Verse 16. - I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not. "The blind" here can only be captive Israel, still dim-sighted from the effect of its old sins against light, and therefore greatly needing God's guidance. God promises to "bring them" out of captivity "by a way not hitherto known to them" - the way of voluntary release by the favour of a new king (see the comment on ver. 9). I will make darkness light before them; either, I will illuminate with rays of light and hope the dark and cheerless life that they have been leading (Delitzsch), or, I will throw light upon that dark future which has hitherto stretched before them, and allow them to penetrate its obscurity, and see what is about to happen. Crooked things; rather, rough places; i.e. difficulties of any and every kind. Straight; rather, smooth, level, flat,. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Dr. Kay translates, "These things have I done, and have not forsaken them;" Mr. Cheyne, "These are the things that I will do, and will not let them slip;" Delitzsch, "These are the things that I carry out and do not leave." According to the two latter renderings, the clause is a mere solemn confirmation of the previous promises.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will lead
וְהוֹלַכְתִּ֣י (wə·hō·w·laḵ·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

the blind
עִוְרִ֗ים (‘iw·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 5787: Blind

by a way
בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ (bə·ḏe·reḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

they did not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know;
יָדָ֔עוּ (yā·ḏā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

I will guide them
אַדְרִיכֵ֑ם (’aḏ·rî·ḵêm)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1869: To tread, to walk, to string a, bow

on unfamiliar
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

paths.
בִּנְתִיב֥וֹת (bin·ṯî·ḇō·wṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5410: Path, pathway

I will turn
אָשִׂים֩ (’ā·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

darkness
מַחְשָׁ֨ךְ (maḥ·šāḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4285: Darkness, a dark place

into light
לָא֗וֹר (lā·’ō·wr)
Preposition, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

before them
לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם (lip̄·nê·hem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

and rough places
וּמַֽעֲקַשִּׁים֙ (ū·ma·‘ă·qaš·šîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4625: A twisted or crooked place

into level ground.
לְמִישׁ֔וֹר (lə·mî·šō·wr)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4334: A level, a plain, as a, straightness, justice

These
אֵ֚לֶּה (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

things
הַדְּבָרִ֔ים (had·də·ḇā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

I will do for them,
עֲשִׂיתִ֖ם (‘ă·śî·ṯim)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

and I will not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

forsake them.
עֲזַבְתִּֽים׃ (‘ă·zaḇ·tîm)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 42:16 I will bring the blind (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 42:15
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