Isaiah 29:1-11

Ariel besieged but spared

1 Oh, Ariel, Ariel, town where David encamped! Year by year, let the festivals come around—
2 but I will oppress Ariel. There will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an Ariel to me.
3 I will surround you like a wall, and I will lay a siege against you with assault towers, and I will raise up siegeworks against you.
4 You will be brought down; from the ground you will speak; from low in the dust your speech will come. Your voice will be like a ghost's from the earth; from the dust your words will whisper.
5 But your many enemies will be like fine dust, the terrible horde like passing chaff. Suddenly, in an instant,
6 the LORD of heavenly forces will come to you with thunder, earthquake, and a mighty voice, with whirlwind, tempest, and flames of devouring fire.
7 The horde of nations fighting against Ariel, and all who make war on her and her fortress and besiege her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night.
8 It will be like when a hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up and the mouth is empty. Or when a thirsty person dreams of drinking but wakes up and has a dry throat. So will it be for all the horde of nations who fight against Mount Zion.
9 Be shocked and stunned; blind yourselves; be blind! Be drunk, but not on wine; stagger, but not on account of beer!
10 The LORD has poured on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has shut your eyes, you prophets, and covered your heads, you seers.
11 This entire vision has become for you like the words of a sealed scroll. When they give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," that one will say, "I can't, because it's sealed."

Isaiah 29:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 29

This chapter contains a prophecy concerning the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem by the Romans; the character and condition of the people of the Jews, previous to it; the calling of the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel; the ruin of antichrist, and the conversion of the Jews, in the latter day. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem are described in Isa 29:1-6 the disappointment of their enemies, notwithstanding their taking and destroying it, Isa 29:7,8 the stupidity, judicial blindness, and hardness of the Jews, which brought on their ruin, are predicted, Isa 29:9,10 the ignorance of their learned, as well as of their unlearned men, with respect to the Scripture, and the prophecies of it, Isa 29:11,12 their hypocrisy and formality in worship, Isa 29:13 a blast upon all their wisdom and prudence, who thought to be wiser than the Lord, and too many for him, whose folly and atheism are exposed, Isa 29:14-16, and a great change both in Judea and the Gentile world, by the removal of the Gospel from the one to the other, Isa 29:17 the effects of which are, deaf sinners hear the word, dark minds are enlightened, and joy increased among the meek and poor, Isa 29:18,19 the fall of the Jews, or else of antichrist, is foretold, Isa 29:20,21 and the chapter is closed with a promise and prophecy of the conversion of the seed of Abraham and Jacob, Isa 29:22-24.

Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible