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Isaiah 42:16
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.
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Interpretation

Isaiah 42:16 shows a lead blind that is lived within limits and longings—see "don't" and "know". Let lead blind when pressure tempts shortcuts—turn worship into posture.

Context

The setting is Isaiah—prophetic oracle, highlighting lead blind. Within ch. 42, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward prophetic hope & judgment. Watch the terms “don't” and “know”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Isaiah with Isaiah (son of Amoz). Critical study of Isaiah often concludes: Scholars often distinguish major sections (sometimes called Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. This verse leans into prophetic hope & judgment. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). Exilic and post‑exilic horizons color sections of the book.

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Masoretic tradition preserves the Hebrew text, standardized c. 6th-10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered 1947-1956) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not change the overall sense. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the best reflects the earliest recoverable text text.
Sources & witness notes
MT