Isaiah 42:22 · Bible study
Isaiah 42:22 Commentary: A People Robbed and Plundered
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 42:22 describes Israel’s state of robbery and captivity with no deliverer. Scholars see God’s judgment for disobedience despite His magnifying the law.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A description of Israel’s complete desolation and lack of deliverance because of their rebellion against God.
- Key words: H2352 (holes), H6351 (ensnare), H5337 (deliverer), H7725 (restore).
- Main debate: Whether the verse refers primarily to the Babylonian exile, the Roman destruction, or spiritual captivity.
- Theological theme: Divine justice, God’s judgment is certain when His law is despised, but His mercy is also present in the call to hear (v.23).
- Best use: As a call to self-examination and repentance, both for individuals and the church, to heed God’s word before judgment falls.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But this is a people plundered and looted, all trapped in caves or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them, and loot with no one to say, “Send them back!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers, and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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 Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But this is a people that is robbed and wasted: they are all the snare of young men, and they are hid in the houses of prisons: they are made a prey, and there is none to deliver them: a spoil, and there is none that saith: Restore.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas este es pueblo saqueado y hollado, todos ellos enlazados en cavernas y escondidos en cárceles: son puestos á saco, y no hay quien libre; hollados, y no hay quien diga, Restituid.
Mas este é um povo roubado e saqueado; todos estão enlaçados em covas, e escondidos em cárceres; são postos como despojos, e ninguém há que os resgate; estão como objetos de roubo, e ninguém diz “Restitui -os ”.
Et c’ est un peuple pillé et dépouillé!
Aber es ist ein beraubtes und geplündertes Volk; sie sind allzumal verstrickt in Höhlen und versteckt in Kerkern; sie sind zum Raube geworden, und ist kein Erretter da; geplündert, und ist niemand, der da sage: Gib wieder her!
Maar nu is het een beroofd en geplunderd volk; zij zijn allen verstrikt in de holen, en verstoken in de gevangenhuizen; zij zijn tot een roof geworden, en er is niemand, die ze redt; tot een plundering, en niemand zegt: Geeft ze weder.
ma questo è un popolo saccheggiato e spogliato; sono tutti legati in caverne, rinchiusi nelle segrete. Sono abbandonati al saccheggio, e non v’è chi li liberi; spogliati, e non v’è chi dica: “Restituisci!”
Ale ten lud jest złupiony i rozszarpany, którego młodzieńców ile ich kolwiek jest, imają, i do ciemnic podawają; podani są na łup, a niemasz ktoby ich wybawił; podani są na rozchwycenie, ani jest, ktoby rzekł: Wróć ich zaś.
Но это народ разоренный и разграбленный; все они связаны в подземельях и сокрыты в темницах; сделались добычею, и нет избавителя; ограблены, и никто не говорит: "отдай назад!"
但這 百姓 是被搶 被奪的，都 牢籠 在坑中，隱藏 在獄 裡；他們作 掠物，無人 拯救，作擄物，無人 說 交還。
But this is a people whose property has been taken away from them by force; they are all taken in holes, and shut up in prisons: they are made prisoners, and no one makes them free; they are taken by force and no one says, Give them back.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 42:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse depicts the Jewish people in a state of judgment and exile, suffering the consequences of their persistent disobedience. The verse follows God's promise to magnify the law (v.21), creating a stark contrast: divine favor met with human rebellion. Barnes identifies the scene as the Babylonian captivity, where the people were 'snared in holes', hiding in caves and prison-houses. Calvin argues that the people are entirely to blame, as they rejected God's grace and deliberately 'set aside all remedies.' Gill extends the reference to the Roman destruction and the ongoing dispersion, noting that no deliverer arose for nearly seventeen centuries. Matthew Henry sees a type of the Jews who later rejected Christ. The repeated phrase 'none delivereth, none saith, Restore' emphasizes total abandonment, a condition the commentators consistently trace to the people's refusal to walk in God's ways (v.24). The verse thus serves as a sobering warning: privilege does not shield from judgment when grace is spurned.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Babylonian exile (Barnes, Calvin): The immediate context of prophecy and the reference to hiding in holes aligns with the Chaldean invasion.
- Roman destruction and ongoing dispersion (Gill, Matthew Henry): The absolute lack of deliverance and the failure of any to say 'Restore' fits the long Jewish exile after AD 70.
- Typological and spiritual captivity (some Reformed): The verse illustrates the plight of all who reject God's law and Christ, with spiritual blindness leading to bondage.
What is clear: The verse undeniably depicts a people suffering the devastating consequences of their own rebellion against God, with no human rescuer in sight.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the 'servant' in Isaiah 42 | Verses 1-4 describe an ideal servant; verses 18-20 address the actual nation Israel. | Whether the servant in v.19 is the nation collectively or a faithful remnant within it. |
| Primary historical reference of the captivity | The verse depicts judgment for sin, consistent with the covenant curses of Deuteronomy. | Some see the Babylonian exile (Barnes, Calvin); others the Roman destruction and ongoing dispersion (Gill, Matthew Henry); some see both as types. |
| Meaning of 'no deliverer' | The phrase expresses complete helplessness at the time of judgment. | Whether this is absolute and permanent (Gill) or relative to a specific period of judgment from which God later brought deliverance (Cyrus). |
| Interpretation of 'snared in holes' (בחורים) | It depicts hiding and capture in concealed places. | Whether the word should be read as 'holes' (caves) or 'young men' (Lowth, Jerome). The Masoretic vocalization supports 'holes'. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to a section where God, through the prophet, contrasts His ideal for His servant Israel with the people's actual condition. In the preceding verses (18, 20), Israel is called blind and deaf, spiritually insensible despite having seen and heard much. God magnified the law (v.21), giving His people a 'great and glorious' revelation (Keil & Delitzsch). Yet the nation's history tells a different story.
Historically, the most immediate fulfillment is the Babylonian exile (586 BC), as Barnes and others argue. The invaders left the land plundered; survivors hid in caves and were dragged from prison-houses (Barnes). The description 'snared in holes' reflects the desperate attempts of the people to escape capture, hiding in caves such as those at En-gedi and elsewhere. The phrase 'none delivereth' underscores the helplessness of a people who had previously relied on God's deliverance in the Exodus and the time of the judges.
Later Jewish experience, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70 and the long diaspora, also echoes this verse. Gill sees in it the plight of the Jews up to his own day (c.1730), with no one to say 'Restore them.' The verse thus functions as a prophetic warning that spans multiple historical moments, all stemming from the same root: the people 'would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his law' (v.24, see Deuteronomy 28:29, 33).
Poole captures the paradox: despite God's great respect for His law and His people, 'it is apparent that God hath severely scourged you for your sins.' The verse therefore highlights the cost of rebellion, even for a chosen nation.
Textual Notes
The main textual discussion concerns the Hebrew phrase 'snared in holes' (הפח בחורים). The word בחורים can be pointed either as 'holes' (חורים, with the preposition ב) or as 'young men' (בחורים). The Masoretic Text vocalizes it as 'holes,' and the parallel 'prison-houses' supports that reading (Barnes, Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch). The Septuagint and Syriac versions, however, read it as 'young men,' leading some scholars to emend the text. No other significant textual variants are noted in the supplied sources.
Reception History
This verse has been read in the Jewish tradition as a lament for the tragedies of exile, particularly the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of the Second Temple. In Christian interpretation, Matthew Henry and Gill connect it to the judgment that fell on the Jewish people for rejecting Christ, with 'none delivereth' understood as a long historical condition. The Geneva Bible notes likewise see it as a prophecy of the people's suffering. The verse has been used in penitential liturgies, reminding worshippers of the consequences of sin. The phrase 'none saith, Restore' has been cited in sermons on the church's responsibility to intercede for the restoration of those who are lost and oppressed.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Privilege Spurned. God magnified the law and made it honorable (v.21). Yet Israel, His servant, became blind and deaf to His instruction. They had revelation but refused it.
- Judgment Described. The people are robbed, plundered, snared in holes, hidden in prisons. They have become captives with no deliverer, plunder with no one to demand restoration. The description is comprehensive: all of them, no one rescues.
- Root Cause Identified. The Lord gave Jacob to the robbers because they sinned against Him (v.24). They would not walk in His ways; they disobeyed His law. The suffering is self-inflicted rebellion against their covenant God.
Five-point outline
- The Call to Hear (vv.18-20). God summons the deaf and blind to hear and see. They could hear but would not.
- The Exalted Law (v.21). God's purpose was to magnify His teaching, making it great and glorious. He desired to bless His people through obedience.
- The Present Reality (v.22). Instead of blessing, the people experience robbery, snaring, hiding, and plunder. The contrast is deliberate and painful.
- The Harsh Question (vv.23-24). Who gave Jacob to the robbers? The answer: the Lord, because they sinned against Him. Judgment comes from the same hand that gave the law.
- The Unheeded Fire (v.25). God poured out His anger, but the people did not take it to heart. The cycle of warning and hardening continues.
Illustration hooks
- A student who has access to the best teacher and textbooks but refuses to study, then fails the exam and blames everyone but himself.
- A nation with a strong constitution and wise laws that is slowly eroded by corruption and apathy, until it collapses into chaos with no one able to restore order.
- Someone with a serious health warning from a doctor who ignores the advice, continues destructive habits, and eventually ends up in a hospital bed with no cure left.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God loves His people, why does He allow them to be plundered and left without a deliverer?
- Is the 'no one' in this verse absolute? Does it mean God never rescues, or that at that moment no one was willing or able?
- How can we tell if we are becoming spiritually deaf and blind like Israel?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 42:22 presents a picture of complete desolation. The people God chose and instructed have become prey, with no one to rescue or restore them. This passage forces us to ask hard questions about the relationship between God's grace, human responsibility, and suffering.
Discussion questions
- What specific words and phrases in verse 22 communicate total loss and abandonment?
- How does the description of the people as 'robbed and plundered' connect to their blindness and deafness in verses 18-20?
- Read verse 24. Who does the prophet say gave Jacob to the robbers? Why is that answer surprising?
- How does the magnification of the law in verse 21 make the judgment in verse 22 even more tragic?
- Why does the verse repeat the idea that there is 'no one' to deliver, and what effect does that repetition have?
- In what ways do we, as individuals or as a church, sometimes become blind to God's instruction and end up 'plundered' in our spiritual lives?
- Is there hope in this passage? Look at verse 23: what does the call to 'give ear' suggest about the purpose of judgment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 28:29 | You will grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. You will only be oppressed and robbed always, and there will be no one to save you. |
| Deuteronomy 28:33 | A nation which you don’t know will eat the fruit of your ground and all of your work. You will only be oppressed and crushed always, |
| Psalms 50:22 | “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver. |
| Psalms 102:20 | to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are condemned to death, |
| Isaiah 1:7 | Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. |
| Isaiah 14:17 | who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities, who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?” |
| Isaiah 18:2 | that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, “Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide!” |
| Isaiah 24:18 | It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues the Hebrew text has been misread. He proposes reading the verb as a plural passive, so the meaning becomes "all their chosen youths are caught in the toils," which matches the parallel phrase in the same sentence. This clarifies the image of capture.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads the verse as a description of the Jewish exiles in Babylon, not just a general prophecy. He interprets the phrase "snared in holes" as captives hiding in caverns and houses for safety, trapped there like prisoners with no one able to demand their release from the powerful Babylonian regime.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the people bring destruction on themselves by deliberately rejecting God, who was ready to help them. They have no one to blame but their own ingratitude and stubborn refusal of every remedy God offered.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools commentary argues that the same "Servant of the Lord" refers to Israel in two different aspects: its ideal calling and its actual, blind and deaf condition. The contrast is not between a false and true servant or between a nation and an individual, but between what Israel was meant to be and what it had become. Israel failed to understand its own history as God's visitation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But this people is robbed and spoiled, and shalbe all snared in dungeons, and they shalbe hid in prison houses: they shall be for a pray, and none shall deliuer: a spoile, and none shall say, Restore.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this as a direct description of the Jewish people after they rejected Christ: the Romans plundered them at Jerusalem's fall, hunting them from hiding places and imprisoning them. Unlike the Babylonian exile, where Cyrus ended their captivity, now no deliverer comes and no one demands their restoration.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB interprets the holes and prison-houses as the places where God's people are trapped, whether literal dungeons or homes they dare not leave. He connects their misery directly to their disregard of the divine law, and sees spiritual imprisonment as included. The cry that no one says "Restore" means there is no deliverer.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that God gave His people a great and glorious Torah out of His righteousness, meaning not a reward for their obedience but a merciful revelation tied to His saving plan. Israel's tragic condition—robbed, fastened in holes, trapped in prison-houses—stands as a glaring contrast to that gift, showing that they saw much but never truly took it to heart.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the Servant in Isaiah 42 as a figure of profound contrasts: meek and gentle, yet also a roaring warrior. The key to this paradox, he argues, lies in the mysterious unity between Jehovah and His Servant, a truth fully revealed only in the New Testament.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry shifts from comforting the faithful to confronting the unbelieving. He identifies these blind and deaf Israelites as a type of those who rejected Christ, comparing them to the evil figs of Jeremiah who were destined for ruin and remain scattered to this day.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that God's love for His people does not stop Him from punishing their sins severely. Their own misdeeds become snares, and God justly allows them to be cast into prison with no one to help.