Bible Strands
Isaiah 42:23
Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet addresses Israel, who are trapped and plundered with no human rescuer, immediately after describing their captivity and before explaining God's role in their downfall.
The words — The Hebrew phrase יַקְשִׁב (yak.Shiv) means "will he pay attention," paired with לְאָחוֹר (le.'a.Chor), literally "to afterwards," emphasizing future heedfulness.
The thread — This call to heed future consequences echoes Leviticus 26:40, which demands confession of iniquity, and anticipates the New Testament command in Acts 3:22 to listen to the prophet God will raise up.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate attention to present warnings and a commitment to obedience in the future, rather than passive observation of judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 48:18 If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
- Acts 3:22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.
- Leviticus 26:40 But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
- Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 32:29 If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
- Proverbs 1:22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
- Jeremiah 3:4 Have you not just called to Me, ‘My Father, You are my friend from youth.
- Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
- Micah 6:9 The voice of the LORD calls out to the city (and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name): “Heed the rod and the One who ordained it.