Focused Passage

Isaiah 29:9-16

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

9Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.

10For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.

11And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.”

12Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.”

13Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

14Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”

15Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”

16You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”?

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

Stopהִתְמַהְמְה֣וּH4102Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine pluraland be astonishedוּתְמָ֔הוּH8539Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralblind yourselvesהִשְׁתַּֽעַשְׁע֖וּH8173Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine pluraland be sightlessוָשֹׁ֑עוּH8173Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralbe drunkשָֽׁכְר֣וּH7937Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralbut notוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlewith wineיַ֔יִןH3196Noun - masculine singularstaggerנָע֖וּH5128Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralbut notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefrom strong drinkשֵׁכָֽר׃H7941Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhas poured outנָסַ֨ךְH5258Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularon youעֲלֵיכֶ֤םH5921Preposition | second person masculine plurala spiritר֣וּחַH7307Noun - common singular constructof deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָ֔הH8639Noun - feminine singularHe has shutוַיְעַצֵּ֖םH6105Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour eyesעֵֽינֵיכֶ֑םH5869Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerO prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֛יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerHe has coveredכִּסָּֽה׃H3680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularyour headsרָאשֵׁיכֶ֥םH7218Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralO seersהַחֹזִ֖יםH2374Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

And the entireהַכֹּ֗לH3605Article | Noun - masculine singularvisionחָז֣וּתH2380Noun - feminine singular constructwill beוַתְּהִ֨יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularto youלָכֶ֜םPreposition | second person masculine plurallike the wordsכְּדִבְרֵי֮H1697Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural constructsealedהֶֽחָתוּם֒H2856Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularin a scrollהַסֵּ֣פֶרH5612Article | Noun - masculine singularIf itאֲשֶֽׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeis handedיִתְּנ֣וּH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֹת֗וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionsomeone to readיוֹדֵ֥עַH3045Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct. . .הַסֵּפֶרH5612Noun - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֖רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .קְרָ֣אH7121Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .נָא־H4994Interjection. . .זֶ֑הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularhe will sayוְאָמַר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularI cannotלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .אוּכַ֔לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionitהֽוּא׃H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis sealedחָת֖וּםH2856Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Or if the scrollהַסֵּ֗פֶרH5612Article | Noun - masculine singularis handedוְנִתַּ֣ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartoעַל֩H5921Prepositiononeאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeunableלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleto readיָדַ֥עH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .סֵ֛פֶרH5612Noun - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֖רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .קְרָ֣אH7121Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .נָא־H4994Interjection. . .זֶ֑הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularhe will sayוְאָמַ֕רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularI cannot readלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .יָדַ֖עְתִּיH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .סֵֽפֶר׃סH5612Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Thereforeיַ֚עַןH3282Adverb. . .כִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthe Lordאֲדֹנָ֗יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularTheseהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singulardraw near to Meנִגַּשׁ֙H5066Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwith their mouthsבְּפִ֤יוH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand honor Meכִּבְּד֔וּנִיH3513Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singularwith their lipsוּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙H8193Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singularbut their heartsוְלִבּ֖וֹH3820Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularare farרִחַ֣קH7368Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularfrom Meמִמֶּ֑נִּיH4480Preposition | first person common singularTheir worshipיִרְאָתָם֙H3374Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine pluralof Meאֹתִ֔יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularis butוַתְּהִ֤יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularrulesמִצְוַ֥תH4687Noun - feminine singular constructtaughtמְלֻמָּדָֽה׃H3925Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singularby menאֲנָשִׁ֖יםH582Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; LXX They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men. Cited in Matthew 15:8–9 and Mark 7:6–7
Verse 14

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverb. . .הִנְנִ֥יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI will againיוֹסִ֛ףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularconfoundלְהַפְלִ֥יאH6381Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Prepositiontheseהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleהָֽעָם־H5971Article | Noun - masculine singularwith wonderהַפְלֵ֣אH6381Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteupon wonderוָפֶ֑לֶאH6382Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularThe wisdomחָכְמַ֣תH2451Noun - feminine singular constructof the wiseחֲכָמָ֔יוH2450Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularwill vanishוְאָֽבְדָה֙H6Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularand the intelligenceוּבִינַ֥תH998Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructof the intelligentנְבֹנָ֖יוH995Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularwill be hiddenתִּסְתַּתָּֽר׃סH5641Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; LXX I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the intelligence of the intelligent. Cited in 1 Corinthians 1:19
Verse 15

Original words

Woeה֛וֹיH1945Interjectionto those who dig deepהַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥יםH6009Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralto hideלַסְתִּ֣רH5641Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructtheir plansעֵצָ֑הH6098Noun - feminine singular. . .וְהָיָ֤הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfrom the LORDמֵֽיהוָ֖הH3068Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularIn darknessבְמַחְשָׁךְ֙H4285Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularthey do their worksמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔םH4639Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland sayוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralWhoמִ֥יH4310Interrogativesees usרֹאֵ֖נוּH7200Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common pluraland whoוּמִ֥יH4310Conjunctive waw | Interrogativewill knowיוֹדְעֵֽנוּ׃H3045Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Verse 16

Original words

You have turned things upside downהַ֨פְכְּכֶ֔םH2017Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralas ifאִם־H518Conjunctionthe potterהַיֹּצֵ֖רH3335Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwere regardedיֵֽחָשֵׁ֑בH2803Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularas clayכְּחֹ֥מֶרH2563Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructShallכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionwhat is formedמַעֲשֶׂ֤הH4639Noun - masculine singularsayיֹאמַ֨רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto him who formed itלְעֹשֵׂ֙הוּ֙H6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularHe did notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlemake meעָשָׂ֔נִיH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularCan the potteryוְיֵ֛צֶרH3336Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularsayאָמַ֥רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularof the potterלְיוֹצְר֖וֹH3335Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularHe has noלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleunderstandingהֵבִֽין׃H995Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Romans 9:20

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.