Focused Passage

Isaiah 6:9-13

The Holy King, the Cleansed Prophet, and the Hardening Commission

The chapter moves from the death of Uzziah to the vision of the enthroned Lord, to the seraphic proclamation of holiness, to Isaiah’s confession of uncleanness, to atoning cleansing from the altar, to willing commission, to a hardening message, to devastating judgment, and finally to the promise of the holy seed.

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

9And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

10Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

11Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,

12until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken.

13And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

And He repliedוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGoלֵ֥ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularand tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֖H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleלָעָ֣םH5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularBe ever hearingשִׁמְע֤וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural. . .שָׁמ֙וֹעַ֙H8085Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolutebut neverוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbunderstandingתָּבִ֔ינוּH995Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralbe ever seeingוּרְא֥וּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural. . .רָא֖וֹH7200Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolutebut neverוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbperceivingתֵּדָֽעוּ׃H3045Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; LXX ‘You shall be ever hearing, but never understanding; you shall be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Cited in Matthew 13:14, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, and Acts 28:26
Verse 10

Original words

{Make} the heartsלֵב־H3820Noun - masculine singular constructof thisהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularcallousedהַשְׁמֵן֙H8080Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singulardeafenהַכְבֵּ֖דH3513Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singulartheir earsוְאָזְנָ֥יוH241Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singularand closeהָשַׁ֑עH8173Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singulartheir eyesוְעֵינָ֣יוH5869Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singularOtherwiseפֶּן־H6435Conjunctionthey might seeיִרְאֶ֨הH7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith their eyesבְעֵינָ֜יוH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singularhearיִשְׁמָ֗עH8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith their earsוּבְאָזְנָ֣יוH241Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singularunderstandיָבִ֛יןH995Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith their heartsוּלְבָב֥וֹH3824Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand turnוָשָׁ֖בH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand be healedוְרָ֥פָאH7495Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; LXX For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them. Cited in Matthew 13:15, Mark 4:12, John 12:40, and Acts 28:27
Verse 11

Original words

Then I askedוָאֹמַ֕רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularHow longעַד־H5704Preposition. . .מָתַ֖יH4970InterrogativeO Lordאֲדֹנָ֑יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularAnd He repliedוַיֹּ֡אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularUntilעַ֣דH5704Preposition-אֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relative-אִם־H518Conjunctionthe citiesעָרִ֜יםH5892Noun - feminine plurallie ruinedשָׁא֨וּH7582Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland withoutמֵאֵ֣יןH369Preposition-m | Adverbinhabitantיוֹשֵׁ֗בH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularuntil the housesוּבָתִּים֙H1004Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralare left unoccupiedמֵאֵ֣יןH369Preposition-m | Adverb. . .אָדָ֔םH120Noun - masculine singularand the landוְהָאֲדָמָ֖הH127Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularis desolateתִּשָּׁאֶ֥הH7582Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularand ravagedשְׁמָמָֽה׃H8077Noun - feminine singular
Verse 12

Original words

until the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhas driven menהָאָדָ֑םH120Article | Noun - masculine singularfar awayוְרִחַ֥קH7368Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand the landהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | Noun - feminine singularis utterlyוְרַבָּ֥הH7231Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularforsakenהָעֲזוּבָ֖הH5805Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular. . .בְּקֶ֥רֶבH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 13

Original words

And thoughוְע֥וֹדH5750Conjunctive waw | Adverba tenth [remains]עֲשִׂ֣רִיָּ֔הH6224Number - ordinal feminine singularin [the land]בָּהּ֙Preposition | third person feminine singularit will beוְהָיְתָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularburnedלְבָעֵ֑רH1197Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructagainוְשָׁ֖בָהH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularAs the terebinthכָּאֵלָ֣הH424Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singularand oakוְכָאַלּ֗וֹןH437Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativeleave stumpsמַצֶּ֣בֶתH4678Noun - feminine singularwhen felledבְּשַׁלֶּ֙כֶת֙H7995Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularso the holyקֹ֖דֶשׁH6944Noun - masculine singularseedזֶ֥רַעH2233Noun - masculine singular constructwill be a stump [in the land]מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ׃פH4678Noun - feminine singular construct | third person 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.