Isaiah chapter 29
English Standard Version
1Ah, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped! Add year to year; let the feasts run their round. 2Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be moaning and lamentation, and she shall be to me like an Ariel. 3 And I will encamp against you all around, and will besiege you with towers and I will raise siegeworks against you. 4 And you will be brought low; from the earth you shall speak, and from the dust your speech will be bowed down; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and from the dust your speech shall whisper. 5But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly, 6 you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire. 7And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, all that fight against her and her stronghold and distress her, shall be like a dream, a vision of the night. 8 As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating, and awakes with his hunger not satisfied, or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking, and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion. 9Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! 10 For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers). 11And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." 12And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot read."
13And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, 14therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden." 15Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?" 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, "He did not make me"; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"? 17Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? 18In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. 20For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, 21who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right. 22Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale.
New International Version
1Woe to you, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David settled! Add year to year and let your cycle of festivals go on. 2Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to me like an altar hearth. 3I will encamp against you on all sides; I will encircle you with towers and set up my siege works against you.
4Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper. 5But your many enemies will become like fine dust, the ruthless hordes like blown chaff. Suddenly, in an instant, 6the Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. 7Then the hordes of all the nations that fight against Ariel, that attack her and her fortress and besiege her, will be as it is with a dream, with a vision in the night—
8as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion. 9Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer. 10The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).
11For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, "Read this, please," they will answer, "I can’t; it is sealed." 12Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, "Read this, please," they will answer, "I don’t know how to read."
13The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. 14Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish." 15Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?"
16You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, "You did not make me"? Can the pot say to the potter, "You know nothing"? 17In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest? 18In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. 19Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down— 21those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.
22Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale. 23When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. 24Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction."
New American Standard Bible
1Woe, Ariel, Ariel the city where David once camped! Add year to year, keep your feasts on schedule. 2I will bring distress to Ariel, And she will be a city of grieving and mourning; And she will be like an Ariel to me. 3I will camp against you encircling you, And I will set up siegeworks against you, And I will raise up battle towers against you. 4Then you will be brought low; From the earth you will speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the ground, And your speech will whisper from the dust. 5But the multitude of your enemies will become like fine dust, And the multitude of the ruthless ones like the chaff which blows away; And it will happen instantly, suddenly. 6From the Lord of armies you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire. 7And the multitude of all the nations who wage war against Ariel, Even all who wage war against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, Will be like a dream, a vision of the night. 8It will be as when a hungry person dreams— And behold, he is eating; But when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied, Or as when a thirsty person dreams— And behold, he is drinking, But when he awakens, behold, he is faint And his thirst is not quenched. So will the multitude of all the nations be Who wage war against Mount Zion. 9Be delayed and horrified, Blind yourselves and be blind; They become drunk, but not with wine, They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. 10For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep, He has shut your eyes—the prophets; And He has covered your heads—the seers.
11The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed book, which, when they give it to the one who is literate, saying, 'Please read this,' he will say, 'I cannot, because it is sealed.' 12Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, 'Please read this.' And he will say, 'I cannot read.'
14Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the understanding of their men who have understanding will be concealed.' 15Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the Lord, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, 'Who sees us?' or 'Who knows us?' 16You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, 'He did not make me'; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'? 17Is it not yet just a little while Before Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field, And the fertile field will be considered as a forest? 18On that day those who are deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of those who are blind will see. 19The afflicted also will increase their joy in the Lord, And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished, Indeed all who are intent on doing evil will be eliminated, 21Who cause a person to be indicted by a word, And set a trap for the arbitrator at the gate, And defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments.
Christian Standard Bible
1Woe to Ariel, Ariel, the city where David camped! Continue year after year; let the festivals recur. 2I will oppress Ariel, and there will be mourning and crying, and she will be to me like an Ariel. 3I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with earth ramps, and I will set up my siege towers against you.
4You will be brought down; you will speak from the ground, and your words will come from low in the dust. Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper from the dust. 5Your many foes will be like fine dust, and many of the ruthless, like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant, 6you will be punished by the Lord of Armies with thunder, earthquake, and loud noise, storm, tempest, and a flame of consuming fire. 7All the many nations going out to battle against Ariel— all the attackers, the siege works against her, and those who oppress her— will then be like a dream, a vision in the night.
8It will be like a hungry one who dreams he is eating, then wakes and is still hungry; and like a thirsty one who dreams he is drinking, then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water. So it will be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion. 9Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with beer. 10For the Lord has poured out on you an overwhelming urge to sleep; he has shut your eyes (the prophets) and covered your heads (the seers).
11For you the entire vision will be like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to one who can read and he is asked to read it, he will say, "I can’t read it, because it is sealed." 12And if the document is given to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it, he will say, "I can’t read."
14Therefore, I will again confound these people with wonder after wonder. The wisdom of their wise will vanish, and the perception of their perceptive will be hidden. 15Woe to those who go to great lengths to hide their plans from the Lord. They do their works in the dark, and say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"
16You have turned things around, as if the potter were the same as the clay. How can what is made say about its maker, "He didn’t make me"? How can what is formed say about the one who formed it, "He doesn’t understand what he’s doing"? 17Isn’t it true that in just a little while Lebanon will become an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest? 18On that day the deaf will hear the words of a document, and out of a deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see. 19The humble will have joy after joy in the Lord, and the poor people will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20For the ruthless one will vanish, the scorner will disappear, and all those who lie in wait with evil intent will be killed— 21those who, with their speech, accuse a person of wrongdoing, who set a trap for the one mediating at the city gate and without cause deprive the righteous of justice.
22Therefore, the Lord who redeemed Abraham says this about the house of Jacob: Jacob will no longer be ashamed, and his face will no longer be pale. 23For when he sees his children, the work of my hands within his nation, they will honor my name, they will honor the Holy One of Jacob and stand in awe of the God of Israel. 24Those who are confused will gain understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction.
New Living Translation
1'What sorrow awaits Ariel, the City of David. Year after year you celebrate your feasts. 2Yet I will bring disaster upon you, and there will be much weeping and sorrow. For Jerusalem will become what her name Ariel means — an altar covered with blood. 3I will be your enemy, surrounding Jerusalem and attacking its walls. I will build siege towers and destroy it. 4Then deep from the earth you will speak; from low in the dust your words will come. Your voice will whisper from the ground like a ghost conjured up from the grave.
5'But suddenly, your ruthless enemies will be crushed like the finest of dust. Your many attackers will be driven away like chaff before the wind. Suddenly, in an instant, 6I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire. 7All the nations fighting against Jerusalem will vanish like a dream! Those who are attacking her walls will vanish like a vision in the night. 8A hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up still hungry. A thirsty person dreams of drinking but is still faint from thirst when morning comes. So it will be with your enemies, with those who attack Mount Zion.'
9Are you amazed and incredulous? Don’t you believe it? Then go ahead and be blind. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from liquor! 10For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.
11All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, 'We can’t read it because it is sealed.' 12When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, 'We don’t know how to read.'
13And so the Lord says, 'These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. 14Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.'
15What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their evil deeds in the dark! 'The Lord can’t see us,' they say. 'He doesn’t know what’s going on!' 16How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, 'He didn’t make me'? Does a jar ever say, 'The potter who made me is stupid'?
17Soon — and it will not be very long — the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops. 18In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book, and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness. 19The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord. The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20The scoffer will be gone, the arrogant will disappear, and those who plot evil will be killed. 21Those who convict the innocent by their false testimony will disappear. A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.
22That is why the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the people of Israel, 'My people will no longer be ashamed or turn pale with fear. 23For when they see their many children and all the blessings I have given them, they will recognize the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob. They will stand in awe of the God of Israel. 24Then the wayward will gain understanding, and complainers will accept instruction.
King James Version
8It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. 9Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. 13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
16Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? 17Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
New King James Version
1“Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add year to year; Let feasts come around. 2Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow, And it shall be to Me as Ariel. 3I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, And I will raise siegeworks against you. 4You shall be brought down, You shall speak out of the ground; Your speech shall be low, out of the dust; Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; And your speech shall whisper out of the dust. 5“Moreover the multitude of your foes Shall be like fine dust, And the multitude of the terrible ones Like chaff that passes away; Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly. 6 You will be punished by the Lord of hosts With thunder and earthquake and great noise, With storm and tempest And the flame of devouring fire. 7 The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, Even all who fight against her and her fortress, And distress her, Shall be as a dream of a night vision. 8 It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion.” 9Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. 10For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.
13Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, 14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.” 15 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?” 16Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? 17 Is it not yet a very little while Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest? 18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 19 The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel. 20For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off— 21Who make a man an offender by a word, And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, And turn aside the just by empty words.
22Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, Nor shall his face now grow pale; 23But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel. 24These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And those who complained will learn doctrine.”
What does Isaiah chapter 29 mean?
This chapter opens with the second of five uses of "woe" or "ah" in the longer section of woes (Isaiah 28–33). "Woe" is an exclamation of grief and judgment for something terrible that is coming. In this passage, the Lord describes judgment coming on Jerusalem.These verses come with an element of sarcasm. God tells the people of Jerusalem to keep meandering through their religious calendar as if they aren't subject to judgment for their idolatry. Yet the Lord will bring judgment. The Hebrew word ari'ēl is repeated numerous times in this section. Most translators understand this as a reference to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7). The word literally means "Lion of God," but some scholars think it refers to the hearth of an altar. In verse 2, for instance, the Lord intends to turn the city into an ari'ēl, which is where the altar hearth meaning would come into play. This seems to predict the impending invasion by Assyria (Isaiah 36). A siege of war machines will devastate the people until they are as good as dead (Isaiah 29:1–4).
Just when this assault seems fatal, the Lord will appear, and all Jerusalem's enemies will be scattered like dust. This corresponds to a miraculous intervention around 701 BC which annihilated the Assyrian army (Isaiah 37:33–38). The enemy assault will become like a dream that seems real only to dissolve in the morning (Isaiah 29:5–8).
When people resist God's messages, He may "give them up" (Romans 1:24–28) to their own delusions. He can harden them (Exodus 7:3–4). This can include making them even more resistant to obvious spiritual truths. Jesus uses the same imagery when speaking to His critics among the Pharisees (Matthew 23:16; John 9:39). Jerusalem's so-called prophets have rejected truth, so they will be unable to understand Isaiah's predictions until it is too late. They will bring about their own spiritual blindness, drunkenness, and ignorance. They will be as unaware as is an illiterate man attempting to read a book (Isaiah 29:9–12).
A major flaw in Jerusalem's religion is insincerity. The people say words which don't match their thoughts. They think of God's Word as just another statement by men. So, they have no reverent respect—no godly "fear" of their Creator. They practice a hollow, fake version of faith. This is why God plans to bring these amazing events. These incredible moments are meant to snap Judah out of its daze, and to prove their false teachers wrong (Isaiah 29:13–14).
Those who actively rebel against God seem to think He will not notice. This flips reality backwards; it assumes that man is in control, and the Lord is conformed to human will. These disobedient ones are like clay pots that reject their own maker, claiming their Creator is ignorant. But the Lord will soon make everything obvious and true. God will accomplish miracles including physical and spiritual healing. The disadvantaged will be empowered. The corrupt will be stopped. Such events will lead to God's glory. When His people are rescued and redeemed, it will prove His love, convincing many who once resisted (Isaiah 29:15–24).
