Isaiah 29:8-16

Listen to Isaiah 29:8-16
8 It will be as when a hungry man dreams - And behold, he is eating; But when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied, Or as when a thirsty man dreams - And behold, he is drinking, But when he awakens, behold, he is faint And his thirst is not quenched. 1Thus the multitude of all the nations will be Who wage war against Mount Zion.
9 2Be delayed and wait, Blind yourselves and be blind; They 3become drunk, but not with wine, They stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep 4sleep, He has 5shut 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 6book, 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 * 7this 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 8marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And 9the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."
15 Woe to those who deeply 10hide their plans from the LORD, And whose 11deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, "12Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"
16 You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That 13what is made would say to its maker, "He did not make me"; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, "He has no understanding "?

Isaiah 29:8-16 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.

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Cross References 13

  • 1. Isaiah 54:17
  • 2. Isaiah 29:1
  • 3. Is 51:17, 21, 22; Isaiah 63:6
  • 4. Psalms 69:23; Isaiah 6:9, 10; Micah 3:6; Romans 11:8
  • 5. Isaiah 44:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
  • 6. Isaiah 8:16; Daniel 12:4, 9; Matthew 13:11
  • 7. Ezekiel 33:31; Matthew 15:8, 9; Mark 7:6, 7
  • 8. Isaiah 6:9, 10; Isaiah 28:21; Isaiah 65:7; Habakkuk 1:5
  • 9. Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 8:9; Jeremiah 49:7; 1 Corinthians 1:19
  • 10. Psalms 10:11, 13; Isaiah 28:15; Isaiah 30:1
  • 11. Job 22:13; Isaiah 57:12; Ezekiel 8:12
  • 12. Psalms 94:7; Isaiah 47:10; Malachi 2:17
  • 13. Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:1-6; Romans 9:19-21

Footnotes 14

  • [a] Lit "soul"
  • [b] Lit "soul"
  • [c] Or "scroll"
  • [d] Lit "knows books"
  • [e] Or "scroll"
  • [f] Lit "does not know books"
  • [g] Lit "do not know books"
  • [h] Lit "mouth"
  • [i] Lit "lips"
  • [j] Lit "fear of Me"
  • [k] Lit "is"
  • [l] Lit "commandment of rulers"
  • [m] Lit "counsel"
  • [n] Lit "like"
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