Isaiah 42:22
New International Version
But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, “Send them back.”

New Living Translation
But his own people have been robbed and plundered, enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped. They are fair game for anyone and have no one to protect them, no one to take them back home.

English Standard Version
But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, “Restore!”

Berean Standard Bible
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!”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”

New American Standard Bible
But this is a people plundered and pillaged; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become plunder, with no one to save them, And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”

NASB 1995
But this is a people plundered and despoiled; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become a prey with none to deliver them, And a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back!”

NASB 1977
But this is a people plundered and despoiled; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become a prey with none to deliver them, And a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back!”

Legacy Standard Bible
But this is a people plundered and pillaged as spoil; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become a plunder with none to deliver them, And a spoil, with none to say, “Have them return!”

Amplified Bible
But this is a people despoiled and plundered; All of them are trapped in holes, Or are hidden away in prisons. They have become a prey with no one to rescue them, And a spoil, with no one to say, “Give them back!”

Christian Standard Bible
But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in holes or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them and loot, with no one saying, “Give it back! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in holes or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them and loot, with no one saying, “Give it back!”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
But his people were trapped and imprisoned in holes with no one to rescue them. All they owned had been taken, and no one was willing to give it back.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But these people are robbed and looted. They are all trapped in pits and hidden in prisons. They have become prey with no one to rescue them. They have become loot with no one to say, "Give it back."

Good News Translation
But now his people have been plundered; they are locked up in dungeons and hidden away in prisons. They were robbed and plundered, with no one to come to their rescue.

International Standard Version
But this is a people who have been robbed and plundered, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become prey, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, 'Send them back!'

Majority Standard Bible
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!”

NET Bible
But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits and held captive in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, "Bring that back!"

New Heart English Bible
But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become a prey, and no one delivers; and a spoil, and no one says, 'Restore them.'

Webster's Bible Translation
But this is a people robbed and pillaged; 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.

World English Bible
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!’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And this [is] a people seized and spoiled, "" Snared in holes—all of them, "" And they were hidden in houses of restraint, "" They have been for a prey, "" And there is no deliverer, "" A spoil, and none is saying, “Restore.”

Young's Literal Translation
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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And this people was plundered and spoiled; snaring all of them in holes, and they were hid in houses of prisons: they were for plunder and none delivering; a treading down, and none said, Turn back.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But this same people has robbed and laid waste. All their youth are a snare, and they have been hidden in houses of confinement. They have become victims; there is no one who may rescue them. They have been plundered; there is no one who may say, “Restore.”

New American Bible
This is a people plundered and despoiled, all of them trapped in holes, hidden away in prisons. They are taken as plunder, with no one to rescue them, as spoil, with no one to say, “Give back!”

New Revised Standard Version
But this is a people robbed and plundered, all of them are trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become a prey with no one to rescue, a spoil with no one to say, “Restore!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But this is a people robbed and downtrodden; all the young men are snared, and they are hid in prison houses; they have become a prey, and there is none to deliver; and trampled upon, and there is none to restore.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And this people is robbed and downtrodden. All the boys are snared and hidden in houses of prisoners. They have been for prey, and there is none who delivers, and downtrodden, and there is none who restores
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I beheld, and the people were spoiled and plundered: for there is a snare in the secret chambers everywhere, and in the houses also, where they have hidden them: they became a spoil, and there was no one that delivered the prey, and there was none who said, Restore.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel is Deaf and Blind
21The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious. 22But 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!” 23Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?…

Cross References
Jeremiah 30:16
Nevertheless, all who devour you will be devoured, and all your adversaries—every one of them—will go off into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered, and all who raided you will be raided.

Lamentations 1:5
Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.

Lamentations 1:18
The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity.

Jeremiah 50:7
All who found them devoured them, and their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’

Jeremiah 50:33
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them.

Psalm 79:4
We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.

Psalm 79:10
Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

Ezekiel 36:20
And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’

Ezekiel 36:21
But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone.

Micah 4:10
Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies!

Luke 21:24
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Romans 11:25
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

Romans 11:26
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Matthew 23:38
Look, your house is left to you desolate.


Treasury of Scripture

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 delivers; for a spoil, and none said, Restore.

a people

Isaiah 1:7
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

Isaiah 18:2
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

Isaiah 36:1
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

they are all of them snared.

are hid

Isaiah 42:7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isaiah 14:17
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Isaiah 45:13
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

a spoil.

Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Deuteronomy 28:29-33
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee

Psalm 50:22
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Jump to Previous
Caves Deliver Delivereth Delivers Despoiled Force Free Hid Hidden Holes Houses Looted Makes Pillaged Pits Plundered Prey Prison Prisoners Prisons Property Rescue Restore Robbed Shut Snared Spoil Spoiled Trapped
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Caves Deliver Delivereth Delivers Despoiled Force Free Hid Hidden Holes Houses Looted Makes Pillaged Pits Plundered Prey Prison Prisoners Prisons Property Rescue Restore Robbed Shut Snared Spoil Spoiled Trapped
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.














But this is a people
This phrase introduces the subject of the verse, emphasizing the collective identity of the Israelites. In Hebrew, the word for "people" is "עַם" (am), which often refers to a nation or ethnic group. Historically, the Israelites were chosen by God as His covenant people, set apart to be a light to the nations. This identity is central to understanding their unique relationship with God and their role in His redemptive plan.

plundered and looted
The words "plundered" and "looted" describe the dire situation of the Israelites. In Hebrew, "plundered" is "בָּזוּז" (bazuz) and "looted" is "שָׁסוּי" (shasuy). These terms convey a sense of violent robbery and loss. Historically, Israel faced numerous invasions and exiles, notably by the Assyrians and Babylonians, which left them stripped of their land, wealth, and freedom. This imagery underscores the consequences of their disobedience to God and the resulting judgment.

all of them trapped in holes
The phrase "trapped in holes" paints a picture of utter helplessness and confinement. The Hebrew word for "holes" is "חֻרִים" (churim), which can refer to pits or caves. This imagery suggests a state of despair and entrapment, both physically and spiritually. It reflects the Israelites' condition during periods of captivity, where they were often hidden away and forgotten, symbolizing their separation from God's presence and blessings.

or imprisoned in dungeons
"Imprisoned in dungeons" further emphasizes the theme of captivity. The Hebrew word for "dungeons" is "בָּתֵּי כֶּלֶא" (batei kele), meaning houses of confinement. This phrase highlights the severity of their bondage, not just physically but also spiritually, as they were cut off from the freedom and prosperity that comes from living in obedience to God. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's covenant.

They have become plunder
This phrase reiterates the state of being taken advantage of and exploited. The repetition of the concept of plunder emphasizes the totality of their loss. In the context of Israel's history, this reflects the repeated cycles of conquest and exile they experienced due to their unfaithfulness to God. It serves as a call to repentance and a return to the covenant relationship with God.

with no one to rescue them
The absence of a rescuer highlights the Israelites' vulnerability and isolation. In Hebrew, "rescue" is "מַצִּיל" (matsil), meaning to deliver or save. This phrase underscores the need for divine intervention, as human efforts alone were insufficient to restore them. It points to the ultimate hope of salvation through God's promised Messiah, who would deliver His people from spiritual bondage.

they have been made loot
The repetition of the concept of being "loot" reinforces the theme of exploitation and loss. The Hebrew word "שָׁלָל" (shalal) conveys the idea of spoils taken by force. This reflects the historical reality of Israel's enemies taking advantage of their weakened state. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of forsaking God's protection and guidance.

with no one to say, 'Send them back!'
This final phrase emphasizes the lack of advocacy or intervention on behalf of the Israelites. The call to "send them back" implies a desire for restoration and return to their rightful place. In the broader biblical narrative, this points to the hope of redemption and restoration through God's faithfulness to His promises. It foreshadows the eventual return from exile and the ultimate restoration through Christ, who calls His people back to Himself.

(22) But this is a people robbed and spoiled . . .--It is hard to say whether the prophet contemplates the state of the exiles in Babylon, or sees far off yet another exile, consequent on a second and more fatal falling off from the true ideal.

None delivereth . . . none saith, Restore.--The tone of despondency seems to come in strangely after the glorious promise of deliverance. On the whole, therefore, the second view seems the more probable; and, so taken, the verse finds its best commentary in Romans 9-11, which is permeated through and through with the thoughts of 2 Isaiah. The "holes" are, primarily, rock-caves, used, not as places of refuge (Isaiah 2:19), but as dungeons.

Verse 22. - But this is a people, etc.; i.e. yet, notwithstanding all that has been done for it, see the condition into which this people has brought itself. For their sins, here they are in Babylonia, robbed and spoiled - i.e., suffering oppression and wrong - snared in holes, or taken in their enemies' pits (Psalm 119:85), and, some of them, hid in prison-houses (see 2 Kings 25:27), expiating by their punishments the long series of their offences.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But this
וְהוּא֮ (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is a people
עַם־ (‘am-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

plundered
בָּז֣וּז (bā·zūz)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 962: To spoil, plunder

and looted,
וְשָׁסוּי֒ (wə·šā·sui)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 8154: To spoil, plunder

all
כֻּלָּ֔ם (kul·lām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

trapped
הָפֵ֤חַ (hā·p̄ê·aḥ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6351: To spread a, net

in caves
בַּֽחוּרִים֙ (ba·ḥū·rîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2352: The crevice of a, serpent, the cell of a, prison

or imprisoned
הָחְבָּ֑אוּ (hā·ḥə·bā·’ū)
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2244: To withdraw, hide

in dungeons.
וּבְבָתֵּ֥י (ū·ḇə·ḇāt·tê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004: A house

They have become
הָי֤וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

plunder
לָבַז֙ (lā·ḇaz)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 957: Spoiling, robbery, spoil, booty

with no
וְאֵ֣ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

one to rescue them,
מַצִּ֔יל (maṣ·ṣîl)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5337: To strip, plunder, deliver oneself, be delivered, snatch away, deliver

and loot
מְשִׁסָּ֖ה (mə·šis·sāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4933: Booty, plunder

with no
וְאֵין־ (wə·’ên-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

one to say,
אֹמֵ֥ר (’ō·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Send them back!”
הָשַֽׁב׃ (hā·šaḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 42:22 But this is a robbed and plundered (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 42:21
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