The Meaning of Isaiah 42:22 Explained

Isaiah 42:22

KJV: But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

YLT: And this is a people seized and spoiled, Snared in holes -- all of them, And in houses of restraint they were hidden, They have been for a prey, And there is no deliverer, A spoil, and none is saying, 'Restore.'

Darby: But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and hidden in prison-houses; they are become a prey, and none delivereth, a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

ASV: But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But this [is] a people  robbed  and spoiled;  [they are] all of them snared  in holes,  and they are hid  in prison  houses:  they are for a prey,  and none delivereth;  for a spoil,  and none saith,  Restore. 

What does Isaiah 42:22 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In contrast to God"s purpose for Israel (cf. Exodus 19:5-6), the nation was in a position, because of her own sin and God"s discipline of her, from which she could not deliver herself, much less lead the Gentiles into the light (cf. Isaiah 45:14-25; Deuteronomy 28:49-53). Each description of Israel in this verse contrasts with what she should have been in the will of God.

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 42:22 mean?

But it [is] a people robbed and plundered are snared in holes all of them and in houses prison they are hidden they are for prey and no one delivers for plunder and no one says Restore
וְהוּא֮ עַם־ בָּז֣וּז וְשָׁסוּי֒ הָפֵ֤חַ בַּֽחוּרִים֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם וּבְבָתֵּ֥י כְלָאִ֖ים הָחְבָּ֑אוּ הָי֤וּ לָבַז֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּ֔יל מְשִׁסָּ֖ה וְאֵין־ אֹמֵ֥ר הָשַֽׁב

וְהוּא֮  But  it  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עַם־  a  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בָּז֣וּז  robbed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.
וְשָׁסוּי֒  and  plundered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: שָׁסָה  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, take spoil.
הָפֵ֤חַ  are  snared 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: פָּחַח  
Sense: (Hiphil) to ensnare, trap.
בַּֽחוּרִים֙  in  holes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֻר  
Sense: hole.
כֻּלָּ֔ם  all  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
וּבְבָתֵּ֥י  and  in  houses 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
כְלָאִ֖ים  prison 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֶּלֶא  
Sense: imprisonment, confinement, restraint.
הָחְבָּ֑אוּ  they  are  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָבָא  
Sense: to withdraw, hide.
הָי֤וּ  they  are 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָבַז֙  for  prey 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּז  
Sense: spoil, booty, robbery, spoiling.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מַצִּ֔יל  delivers 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
מְשִׁסָּ֖ה  for  plunder 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְשִׁסָּה  
Sense: booty, spoil, plunder.
וְאֵין־  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אֹמֵ֥ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָשַֽׁב  Restore 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.