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

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

10 For 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.

11 And 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.”

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

13 Therefore 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.

14 Therefore 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.”

15 Woe 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?”

16 You 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

Stop הִתְמַהְמְה֣וּ H4102 Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine plural and be astonished וּתְמָ֔הוּ H8539 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural blind yourselves הִשְׁתַּֽעַשְׁע֖וּ H8173 Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine plural and be sightless וָשֹׁ֑עוּ H8173 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural be drunk שָֽׁכְר֣וּ H7937 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural but not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle with wine יַ֔יִן H3196 Noun - masculine singular stagger נָע֖וּ H5128 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural but not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle from strong drink שֵׁכָֽר׃ H7941 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has poured out נָסַ֨ךְ H5258 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular on you עֲלֵיכֶ֤ם H5921 Preposition | second person masculine plural a spirit ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of deep sleep תַּרְדֵּמָ֔ה H8639 Noun - feminine singular He has shut וַיְעַצֵּ֖ם H6105 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your eyes עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם H5869 Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker O prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֛ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker He has covered כִּסָּֽה׃ H3680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular your heads רָאשֵׁיכֶ֥ם H7218 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural O seers הַחֹזִ֖ים H2374 Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

And the entire הַכֹּ֗ל H3605 Article | Noun - masculine singular vision חָז֣וּת H2380 Noun - feminine singular construct will be וַתְּהִ֨י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to you לָכֶ֜ם Preposition | second person masculine plural like the words כְּדִבְרֵי֮ H1697 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct sealed הֶֽחָתוּם֒ H2856 Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular in a scroll הַסֵּ֣פֶר H5612 Article | Noun - masculine singular If it אֲשֶֽׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative is handed יִתְּנ֣וּ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֹת֗וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition someone to read יוֹדֵ֥עַ H3045 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct . . . הַסֵּפֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֖ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . קְרָ֣א H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . נָא־ H4994 Interjection . . . זֶ֑ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular he will say וְאָמַר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular I cannot לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . אוּכַ֔ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular because כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction it הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is sealed חָת֖וּם H2856 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Or if the scroll הַסֵּ֗פֶר H5612 Article | Noun - masculine singular is handed וְנִתַּ֣ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to עַל֩ H5921 Preposition one אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative unable לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to read יָדַ֥ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . סֵ֛פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֖ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . קְרָ֣א H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . נָא־ H4994 Interjection . . . זֶ֑ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular he will say וְאָמַ֕ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular I cannot read לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יָדַ֖עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . סֵֽפֶר׃ס H5612 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Therefore יַ֚עַן H3282 Adverb . . . כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction the Lord אֲדֹנָ֗י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular These הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular draw near to Me נִגַּשׁ֙ H5066 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular with their mouths בְּפִ֤יו H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and honor Me כִּבְּד֔וּנִי H3513 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular with their lips וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙ H8193 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular but their hearts וְלִבּ֖וֹ H3820 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular are far רִחַ֣ק H7368 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular from Me מִמֶּ֑נִּי H4480 Preposition | first person common singular Their worship יִרְאָתָם֙ H3374 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural of Me אֹתִ֔י H853 Direct object marker | first person common singular is but וַתְּהִ֤י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular rules מִצְוַ֥ת H4687 Noun - feminine singular construct taught מְלֻמָּדָֽה׃ H3925 Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular by men אֲנָשִׁ֖ים H582 Noun - 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

Therefore לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb . . . הִנְנִ֥י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I will again יוֹסִ֛ף H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular confound לְהַפְלִ֥יא H6381 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Preposition these הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָֽעָם־ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular with wonder הַפְלֵ֣א H6381 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute upon wonder וָפֶ֑לֶא H6382 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular The wisdom חָכְמַ֣ת H2451 Noun - feminine singular construct of the wise חֲכָמָ֔יו H2450 Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular will vanish וְאָֽבְדָה֙ H6 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular and the intelligence וּבִינַ֥ת H998 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct of the intelligent נְבֹנָ֖יו H995 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular will be hidden תִּסְתַּתָּֽר׃ס H5641 Verb - 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

Woe ה֛וֹי H1945 Interjection to those who dig deep הַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥ים H6009 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural to hide לַסְתִּ֣ר H5641 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct their plans עֵצָ֑ה H6098 Noun - feminine singular . . . וְהָיָ֤ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular from the LORD מֵֽיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular In darkness בְמַחְשָׁךְ֙ H4285 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular they do their works מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם H4639 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural and say וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Who מִ֥י H4310 Interrogative sees us רֹאֵ֖נוּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural and who וּמִ֥י H4310 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative will know יוֹדְעֵֽנוּ׃ H3045 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Verse 16

Original words

You have turned things upside down הַ֨פְכְּכֶ֔ם H2017 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural as if אִם־ H518 Conjunction the potter הַיֹּצֵ֖ר H3335 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular were regarded יֵֽחָשֵׁ֑ב H2803 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular as clay כְּחֹ֥מֶר H2563 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Shall כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction what is formed מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה H4639 Noun - masculine singular say יֹאמַ֨ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to him who formed it לְעֹשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular He did not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle make me עָשָׂ֔נִי H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Can the pottery וְיֵ֛צֶר H3336 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular say אָמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular of the potter לְיוֹצְר֖וֹ H3335 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular He has no לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle understanding הֵבִֽין׃ H995 Verb - 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.