With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: this fulfillment formula (see 1.22) is slightly different from that used elsewhere in Matthew’s Gospel, where purpose is stated (“in order that it might be fulfilled”). In addition the Greek verb for is fulfilled has a prepositional prefix which may serve to make it more emphatic. However, most interpreters see no distinction in meaning between the two forms, apart from these formal differences. A very simple way to render this phrase is to say “So they make come true what the prophet Isaiah predicted (or, said would happen). He said….” Another way is “The prophet Isaiah said certain things would happen, and now with these people those things are happening. He said….”
For comments on “prophet,” see 1.22. Prophecy is the spoken or written message of a prophet.
The quotation is taken word for word from the Septuagint of Isaiah 6.9-10, as is the same quotation in Acts 28.26-27. Of all the fulfillment quotations used by Matthew, this is the only one attributed directly to Jesus. It is also the only one where the quotation agrees in all details with the Septuagint, though 1.23 may also agree word for word with Isaiah 7.14, if one follows the Septuagint manuscripts which have the words “they shall call.” Of significance also is the observation that this quotation is found only in Matthew’s Gospel, though the Marcan parallel (4.12) apparently refers to this passage without quoting it. These observations combine to suggest that for Matthew the quotation is of vital importance.
You of the Greek text is translated “This people” by Good News Translation. The problem is that the Greek text shifts from the second-person subject (You) of verse 14 to a third-person subject (this people’s heart) in verse 15, although referring to the same people. In order to avoid an unnatural shift in grammatical subjects, Good News Translation uses “This people” and third-person references throughout. There are languages where the plural “these people” will be better, but another possible singular form is “this generation of people.”
You shall indeed hear is literally “Hearing you will hear” and you shall indeed see is literally “seeing you will see.” This repetition of the verbs “hear” and “see” represents an emphatic formula similar to that discussed in verse 13. In some languages the repetition of the verb will lessen the impact rather than intensify it, so the translator must be alert to the expectations of the receptor language. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, for example, does not repeat the verb. One may translate “No matter how much these people listen, they will not understand, and no matter how much they look, they will not perceive.” This part of the quotation from Isaiah is similar to the words of Jesus in the previous verse and can be rendered in a similar fashion. Hear may need to be “listen,” but understand will probably be retained.
The emphasis conveyed by indeed can be translated by repetition, as seen in Good News Translation, or by “really” or “certainly.” For example, the first line may be rendered “These people will certainly hear (the truth), but they will never understand (it).” Similarly, see may be translated “look at,” and perceive may be “comprehend.” Thus the line can be “and they will certainly look (at the truth), but will never see (or, comprehend) it.”
This people’s heart has grown dull: in Hebrew thought the heart represents a person’s thinking and willing capacity. Barclay translates “The mind of this people…,” and Good News Translation has “their minds….” Dull may also be rendered “slow to learn” or “unable to learn.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “this people is inwardly dull.” Since the text says their heart or thinking has grown dull, one rendering will be “these people are no longer able to learn (anything).” The form and meaning can both be retained in a sentence like “their minds have become too dull to learn anything.”
Their ears are heavy of hearing: most modern English translations are not very dynamic, though New American Bible renders “they have scarcely heard with their ears.” The translation should avoid the implication that the person’s ears are physically malfunctioning. The meaning is that they cannot hear because they do not want to hear. One way to translate, then, is to say “they have stopped listening” or “they refuse to listen anymore.” To retain the form can result in a rather awkward sentence or one that is hard to understand, but one possibility is “As if their ears were a burden too heavy to carry, they have stopped listening.”
And their eyes they have closed (Good News Translation “and have closed their eyes”): in the Good News Bible restructuring the subject of the verb have closed is left implicit in this clause, since it is stated explicitly (“they”) in the preceding clause. Revised Standard Version reflects the order of the Greek sentence (object-subject-verb), which is unnatural for English readers and is restructured by most translations. To say “and they have closed their eyes” will probably be understood in most languages. If not, “They refuse to use their eyes” or “They refuse to look” will convey the meaning.
Lest (Good News Translation “Otherwise,” Jerusalem Bible “for fear”): a Greek particle is used here as a conjunction, marking an emphatic contrast between the preceding clause and the clause which follows. A literal translation of lest is “so that not,” as in “so that they won’t be able to see with their eyes.” Translators who prefer to start a new sentence, as Good News Bible has with “Otherwise,” can use a construction like “If they had not done this, then they would be able to see.”
The three lines following lest follow the reverse order of the first three in verse 15. A possible model is “So that they won’t be able to see with their eyes, or hear with their ears, or understand anything with their minds.” The people know that if they hear or see or learn, they will turn to God to heal them. But they don’t want to turn to God, and that is why they refuse to hear, see, or learn! This needs to be made clear in the translation. The last line of the verse, and turn for me to heal them, can follow on from the previous line: “… understand anything with their minds and as a result turn to me….”
And turn for me to heal them is followed in Good News Translation by “says God” (so also Bijbel in Gewone Taal, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) to indicate that in verses 14b-15 God is the speaker in the quotation taken from Isaiah. Otherwise the reader is certain to assume that Isaiah is the one addressing the people.
The trouble with “says God” of Good News Translation is that in many languages it has to precede the quotation. One way is to begin the last line “If they did, God says, ‘They would turn to me….’ ” Another way is to use indirect speech: “As a result, as God says, they would turn to him….” Or God can be kept in the third person, as in “then they would turn to God for him….” Some translators have preferred to indicate at the beginning of verse 14 that Isaiah was speaking for God, as in “… what Isaiah predicted when he spoke God’s word….”
Turn is often used for “repent,” and that can be used here. Other translators have “turn to me” or “return to me.”
For me to heal them gives the purpose of the people’s turning to God. “So I can heal them” or “And then I would heal them” are translations that show this.
Heal here refers to spiritual rather than physical healing, but most translations retain the words “cure” or “healing,” finding it unnecessary to specify further the kind of healing God gives.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .