Original Word: מַעֲקָשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ma`aqash
Pronunciation: mah-ah-kaysh
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ak-awsh')
KJV: crooked thing
NASB: rugged places
Word Origin: [from H6140 (עָקַשׁ - declare me guilty)]

1. a crook (in a road)

crooked thing

From aqash; a crook (in a road) -- crooked thing.

see HEBREW aqash

Word Origin
from aqash
Definition
a twisted or crooked place
NASB Translation
rugged places (1).

[מַעֲקָשׁ] noun [masculine] twisted, crooked place; — plural מַעֲקַשִׁים Isaiah 42:16 (opposed to מִישׁוֺר).

Overview of מַעֲקָשׁ in Scripture

The noun describes a place or condition that is twisted, crooked, or uneven, standing in contrast to a level or straight way. Its single appearance in Isaiah employs it metaphorically to portray hindrances and hazards along a journey that only God can remove.

Contextual Setting in Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42 introduces the Servant of the Lord and foretells a new era of salvation for Israel and the nations. Verse 16 promises divine intervention on behalf of the blind—representative of a people lacking spiritual sight:

“I will turn darkness into light before them, and rough places into level ground” (Isaiah 42:16).

Here מַעֲקָשׁ (“rough places”) emphasizes the obstacles facing those who cannot find their own way. The text assures that the Lord Himself will transform every hindrance into safe passage.

Thematic Significance

1. God’s sovereignty over creation: Only the Creator can reform the created order, turning what is naturally crooked into straight paths.
2. Redemption motif: Physical topography mirrors spiritual reality; God removes moral and spiritual impediments when He redeems His people.
3. Covenant faithfulness: The promise “I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16) anchors the transformation of מַעֲקָשׁ in Yahweh’s unwavering loyalty to His covenant.

Divine Guidance for the Blind

Scripture consistently associates blindness with spiritual ignorance or rebellion (Deuteronomy 29:4; John 9:39-41). By addressing the blind, Isaiah 42 depicts divine initiative: guidance precedes human understanding. The removal of מַעֲקָשׁ assures that the journey ordained by God is not contingent on human competence but on divine grace.

Prophetic Link to Messianic Ministry

Isaiah’s servant prophecies converge in Jesus Christ, who proclaims Himself “the light of the world” (John 8:12). His healing of literal blindness (Matthew 9:27-30; John 9:1-7) dramatizes the spiritual reality foretold in Isaiah 42:16. The proclamation of the Gospel thus fulfills the promise to straighten the crooked and illuminate the dark.

Intertextual Connections

• Isaiah 40:4—“Every valley shall be lifted up… the crooked shall become straight”: anticipates the imagery of Isaiah 42:16.
• Proverbs 2:13-15; 10:9—wisdom literature contrasts straight paths with crooked ones, warning that moral perversion manifests as וּמַעְקָשִׁים (“crooked ways,” cognate of the noun).
• Luke 3:5—John the Baptist applies Isaiah 40:4 to prepare the way for Christ, showing continuity between Isaiah’s promise and New Testament fulfillment.

Theological Implications

1. Revelation precedes reformation: God must first reveal light before the crooked can be made level.
2. Salvation is holistic: Physical, moral, and eschatological dimensions of restoration merge in the promise to eliminate מַעֲקָשׁ.
3. Assurance of perseverance: The declaration “I will not forsake them” guarantees that those whom God leads will arrive safely, underscoring eternal security.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral counseling: Isaiah 42:16 offers a pastoral word for believers grappling with confusion; the Lord personally levels their “rough places.”
• Evangelism: The verse supplies confidence that God prepares the hearts of the spiritually blind, removing barriers to faith.
• Worship: Corporate praise may draw on this imagery to celebrate deliverance from sin’s disruptive power.

Historical Reception in Jewish and Christian Thought

Rabbinic interpretation views the verse as eschatological, envisioning Israel’s future redemption. Early Christian writers, including Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, read it christologically, emphasizing Christ as the One who dispels darkness and straightens the crooked. Reformers such as John Calvin stressed the certainty of divine guidance against human frailty, echoing Isaiah’s contrast between human inability and divine sufficiency.

Homiletical Insights

Sermons may structure around three movements: the problem (blindness and crookedness), the promise (God’s active leading), and the permanence (“I will not forsake them”). The single occurrence of מַעֲקָשׁ intensifies its rhetorical impact, making it ideal for focused exposition.

Devotional Reflection

Believers confronting seasons of disorientation may pray Isaiah 42:16, trusting the Lord to exchange their מַעֲקָשׁ for level ground. Meditating on God’s transforming power fosters patience and hope amid life’s uncertainties.

Summary

Though occurring only once, מַעֲקָשׁ embodies a sweeping biblical truth: the Lord converts hindering crookedness into a navigable path for His people. Isaiah 42:16 stands as a testament to God’s redemptive initiative, fulfilled supremely in Jesus Christ and experienced daily by all who trust His guiding hand.

וּמַֽעֲקַשִּׁים֙ ומעקשים ū·ma·‘ă·qaš·šîm ūma‘ăqaššîm umaakashShimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts