Isaiah 42:20

“Seeing many things, but thou observest not, &c.] The Scribes and Pharisees, saw Christ in the flesh; they saw the miracles he did; they saw the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead raised; yet they did not give note to these things, and keep them in their minds, and regard them as clear proofs of his being the Messiah: opening the ears, but he heareth not; they heard John Baptist preach, the forerunner of Christ, and the testimony he bore of him; they heard Christ himself and his apostles; they sometimes opened their ears, and seemed to listen and hear with attention, and wonder at what they heard; and some would own, that never man spake…”

“observest--Thou dost not keep them. The "many things" are the many proofs which all along from the first God had given Israel of His goodness and His power (Deu 4:32-38; Deu 29:2-4; Psa. 78:1-72; Psa. 105:1-45). he--transition from the second to the third person. "Opening . . . ears," that is, though he (Israel) hath his ears open (see on Isa 6:10). This language, too (see on Isa 42:19), applies to Messiah as Jehovah's servant (Isa 50:5; Psa 40:6).”

“Seeing many things - That is, the people, the Jews, spoken of here as the servants of God. They had had an opportunity of observing many things pertaining to the law, the government, and the dealing of Yahweh. They had often witnessed his interposition in the days of calamity, and he often rescued them from peril. These things they could not but have observed, much as they had chosen to disregard the lessons which they were calculated to convey. But thou observest not - Thou dost not keep them (תשׁמר tı̂shmor); thou dost not regard them. Opening the ears - Thou hast thine ears open. They heard the words of the law, and the instructions conveyed by tradition from their fathers, but they did…”

“Heareth not - Thou dost not seriously consider the plain word, and the wonderful works of God. Isaiah 42:21”

“Seeing: Isa 1:3, Isa 48:6-8; Num 14:22; Deu 4:9, Deu 29:2-4; Neh 9:10-17; Psa 106:7-13; Psa 107:43; Joh 9:37-40, Joh 11:37-50 opening: Isa 58:2; Jer 42:2-5; Eze 33:31; Mar 6:19, Mar 6:20; Act 28:22-27 Isaiah 42:21”

“The reproof, which affects Israel a potiori, now proceeds still further, as follows. "Thou hast seen much, and yet keepest not; opening the ears, he yet doth not hear. Jehovah was pleased for His righteousness' sake: He gave a thorah great and glorious. And yet it is a people robbed and plundered; fastened in holes all of them, and they are hidden in prison-houses: they have become booty, without deliverers; a spoil, without any one saying, Give it up again!" In Isa 42:20 "thou" and "he" alternate, like "they" and "ye" in Isa 1:29, and "I" and "he" in Isa 14:30. ראית, which points back to the past, is to be preserved. The reading of the keri is ראות (inf. abs. like שׁתות, Isa 22:13, and…”