Isaiah 29:10-20

10 For the Lord has poured out on you an overwhelming urge to[a] sleep; He has shut your eyes-the prophets, and covered your heads-the seers.
11 For you the entire vision will be like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to one who can read and he is asked to read it,[b] he will say, "I can't read it, because it is sealed."
12 And if the document is given to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it,[c] he will say, "I can't read."
13 The Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service[d]- yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship [consists of] man-made rules learned [by rote]-
14 therefore I will again confound these people with wonder after wonder. The wisdom of their wise men will vanish, and the understanding of the perceptive will be hidden.
15 Woe to those who go to great lengths to hide their plans from the Lord. [They do] their works in darkness, and say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"
16 You have turned things around, as if the potter were the same as the clay. How can what is made say about its maker, "He didn't make me"? How can what is formed say about the one who formed it, "He doesn't understand [what he's doing]"?
17 Isn't [it true that] in just a little while Lebanon will become an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest?
18 On that day the deaf will hear the words of a document, and out of a deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
19 The humble will have joy after joy in the Lord, and the poor people will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the ruthless one will vanish, the scorner will disappear, and all those who lie in wait with evil intent will be killed-

Isaiah 29:10-20 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.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Lit you a spirit of
  • [b]. Lit If one gives it to one who knows the document, saying, "Read this, please"
  • [c]. Lit who does not know the document, saying, "Read this, please"
  • [d]. Lit their mouth and honor Me with its lips
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