Yeshayah 29:15-24

15 Hoy (woe, doom) unto them that go to great depths to hide their etzah (plan) from Hashem, and their ma’asim are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? And who knoweth us?

16 Surely you have things turned around. Shall the Yotzer be esteemed as equal with the khomer (clay); for shall the ma’aseh say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing formed say of Him that formed it, He had no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Levanon shall be turned into a carmel, and the carmel shall be esteemed as a ya’ar (forest)?

18 And in that day shall the chereshim (deaf persons) hear the devarim of the sefer, and the eynayim of the ivrim shall see out of obscurity, and out of choshech.

19 The anaviyim also shall increase their simchah in Hashem, and the evyonei adam (needy of humankind) shall rejoice in the Kadosh Yisroel.

20 For the terrifying one is brought to naught, and the scoffer is consumed, and all that strive for avon are cut off;

21 That make an adam an offender with a devar, and lay a snare for the mokhiach (reprover, defender) in the sha’ar (gate, court), and turn aside the tzaddik from justice.

22 Therefore thus saith Hashem, who redeemed Avraham, concerning Bais Ya’akov, Ya’akov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow fearfully pale.

23 But when he seeth his banim, the ma’aseh of Mine hands, in his midst, they shall set apart as kodesh Shmi (My Name), and set apart as kodesh the Kadosh Ya’akov, and shall fear the Elohei Yisroel.

24 They also that erred in ruach shall know binah (understanding), and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Yeshayah 29:15-24 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.