Focused Passage

Isaiah 29:1-8

Woe to Ariel: Blind Worship, Hidden Counsel, and the Coming Reversal

Isaiah 29 moves from a woe against Ariel/Jerusalem, to the LORD’s humbling siege, to the sudden vanishing of the nations, to Judah’s spiritual stupor and hollow worship, and finally to a promised reversal in which the deaf hear, the blind see, the humble rejoice, and Jacob’s shame is removed.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur.

2 And I will constrain Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation; she will be like an altar hearth before Me.

3 I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you.

4 You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust.

5 But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,

6 you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire.

7 All the many nations going out to battle against Ariel—even all who war against her, laying siege and attacking her—will be like a dream, like a vision in the night,

8 as when a hungry man dreams he is eating, then awakens still hungry; as when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking, then awakens faint and parched. So will it be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Woe to you ה֚וֹי H1945 Interjection O Ariel אֲרִיאֵ֣ל H740 Noun - proper - feminine singular the city קִרְיַ֖ת H7151 Noun - feminine singular construct [of] Ariel אֲרִיאֵ֔ל H740 Noun - proper - feminine singular where David דָוִ֑ד H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . סְפ֥וּ H3254 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural camped חָנָ֣ה H2583 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Year שָׁנָ֛ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular upon עַל־ H5921 Preposition year שָׁנָ֖ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular let your festivals חַגִּ֥ים H2282 Noun - masculine plural recur יִנְקֹֽפוּ׃ H5362 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Or Altar Hearth or Lion of God; probably a nickname for Jerusalem; twice in this verse, twice in verse 2, and once in verse 7
Verse 2

Original words

And I will constrain וַהֲצִיק֖וֹתִי H6693 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Ariel לַֽאֲרִיאֵ֑ל H740 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular and there will be וְהָיְתָ֤ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular mourning תַֽאֲנִיָּה֙ H8386 Noun - feminine singular and lamentation וַֽאֲנִיָּ֔ה H592 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular she will be וְהָ֥יְתָה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular like an altar hearth כַּאֲרִיאֵֽל׃ H740 Preposition-k | Noun - proper - feminine singular before Me לִּ֖י Preposition | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Or like Ariel; see the footnote for verse 1.
Verse 3

Original words

I will camp וְחָנִ֥יתִי H2583 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular in a circle כַדּ֖וּר H1754 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular around you עָלָ֑יִךְ H5921 Preposition | second person feminine singular I will besiege וְצַרְתִּ֤י H6696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ H5921 Preposition | second person feminine singular with towers מֻצָּ֔ב H4674 Adjective - masculine singular and set up וַהֲקִֽימֹתִ֥י H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular siege works מְצֻרֹֽת׃ H4694 Noun - feminine plural against you עָלַ֖יִךְ H5921 Preposition | second person feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

You will be brought low וְשָׁפַלְתְּ֙ H8213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular you will speak תְּדַבֵּ֔רִי H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person feminine singular from the ground מֵאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular and out of the dust וּמֵֽעָפָ֖ר H6083 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular your words אִמְרָתֵ֑ךְ H565 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular will be muffled תִּשַּׁ֣ח H7817 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Your voice קוֹלֵ֔ךְ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular will be וְֽ֠הָיָה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like a spirit כְּא֤וֹב H178 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular from the ground מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular your speech אִמְרָתֵ֥ךְ H565 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular will whisper תְּצַפְצֵֽף׃ H6850 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular out of the dust וּמֵעָפָ֖ר H6083 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

But your many הֲמ֣וֹן H1995 Noun - masculine singular construct foes זָרָ֑יִךְ H2114 Adjective - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular will be וְהָיָ֛ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like fine דַּ֖ק H1851 Adjective - masculine singular dust כְּאָבָ֥ק H80 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular the multitude הֲמ֣וֹן H1995 Noun - masculine singular construct of the ruthless עָֽרִיצִ֔ים H6184 Adjective - masculine plural . . . וְהָיָ֖ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like blowing עֹבֵר֙ H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular chaff וּכְמֹ֤ץ H4671 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular Then suddenly פִּתְאֹֽם׃ H6597 Adverb in an instant לְפֶ֥תַע H6621 Preposition-l | Adverb
Verse 6

Original words

you will be visited תִּפָּקֵ֔ד H6485 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular by מֵעִ֨ם H5973 Preposition-m the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאוֹת֙ H6635 Noun - common plural with thunder בְּרַ֥עַם H7482 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and earthquake וּבְרַ֖עַשׁ H7494 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and loud גָּד֑וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular noise וְק֣וֹל H6963 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular with windstorm סוּפָה֙ H5492 Noun - feminine singular and tempest וּסְעָרָ֔ה H5591 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular and consuming אוֹכֵלָֽה׃ H398 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular flame וְלַ֖הַב H3851 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of fire אֵ֥שׁ H784 Noun - common singular
Verse 7

Original words

All כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the many הֲמוֹן֙ H1995 Noun - masculine singular construct nations הַגּוֹיִ֔ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural going out to battle הַצֹּבְאִ֖ים H6633 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural against עַל־ H5921 Preposition Ariel אֲרִיאֵ֑ל H740 Noun - proper - feminine singular even all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct who war against her צֹבֶ֙יהָ֙ H6633 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular laying siege וּמְצֹ֣דָתָ֔הּ H4685 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular and attacking וְהַמְּצִיקִ֖ים H6693 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural her לָֽהּ׃ Preposition | third person feminine singular will be וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like a dream כַּֽחֲלוֹם֙ H2472 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular like a vision חֲז֣וֹן H2377 Noun - masculine singular construct in the night לַ֔יְלָה H3915 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

- וְהָיָ֡ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular as when כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative a hungry man הָרָעֵ֜ב H7457 Article | Adjective - masculine singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection dreams יַחֲלֹ֨ם H2492 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular he is eating אוֹכֵ֗ל H398 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular then awakens וְהֵקִיץ֮ H6974 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular still hungry וְרֵיקָ֣ה H7386 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singular . . . נַפְשׁוֹ֒ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular as when וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative a thirsty man הַצָּמֵא֙ H6771 Article | Adjective - masculine singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection dreams יַחֲלֹ֤ם H2492 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular he is drinking שֹׁתֶ֔ה H8354 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular then awakens וְהֵקִיץ֙ H6974 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection faint עָיֵ֔ף H5889 Adjective - masculine singular . . . וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ H5315 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular and parched שׁוֹקֵקָ֑ה H8264 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular So כֵּ֣ן H3651 Adverb will it be יִֽהְיֶ֗ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the many הֲמוֹן֙ H1995 Noun - masculine singular construct nations הַגּוֹיִ֔ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural who go to battle הַצֹּבְאִ֖ים H6633 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural against עַל־ H5921 Preposition Mount הַ֥ר H2022 Noun - masculine singular construct Zion צִיּֽוֹן׃ס H6726 Noun - proper - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.