Isaiah 29:9-14

9 1Be delayed and wait, Blind yourselves and be blind; They 2become drunk, but not with wine, They stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep 3sleep, He has 4shut your eyes, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, the seers.
11 The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed 5book, which when they give it to the one who is literate *, saying, "Please read this," he will say, "I cannot *, for it is sealed."
12 Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate * *, saying, "Please read this." And he will say, "I cannot read *."
13 Then the Lord said, "Because * 6this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition * learned by rote,
14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal 7marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And 8the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."

Isaiah 29:9-14 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.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Isaiah 29:1
  • 2. Is 51:17, 21, 22; Isaiah 63:6
  • 3. Psalms 69:23; Isaiah 6:9, 10; Micah 3:6; Romans 11:8
  • 4. Isaiah 44:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
  • 5. Isaiah 8:16; Daniel 12:4, 9; Matthew 13:11
  • 6. Ezekiel 33:31; Matthew 15:8, 9; Mark 7:6, 7
  • 7. Isaiah 6:9, 10; Isaiah 28:21; Isaiah 65:7; Habakkuk 1:5
  • 8. Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 8:9; Jeremiah 49:7; 1 Corinthians 1:19

Footnotes 10

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