Isaiah 29 12

Isaiah 29:12 kjv

And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

Isaiah 29:12 nkjv

Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I am not literate."

Isaiah 29:12 niv

Or 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."

Isaiah 29:12 esv

And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot read."

Isaiah 29:12 nlt

When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, "We don't know how to read."

Isaiah 29 verses

Isaiah 29 12 meaning

Isaiah 29:12 illustrates the profound spiritual inability of humanity to comprehend divine revelation without God's intervention. It describes a situation where a prophetic message, referred to as a "book" or scroll, is given to someone who genuinely lacks the capacity to "read" or understand it. This inability is not merely about physical literacy but symbolizes a deeper spiritual blindness and a lack of insight into the spiritual truths contained within God's word. The verse emphasizes that divine wisdom is inaccessible to those who are unperceptive, reflecting a state of spiritual alienation from God.

Isaiah 29 12 Context

Isaiah chapter 29 begins with a "Woe to Ariel," a symbolic name for Jerusalem, lamenting the city's spiritual condition. While God promises a future deliverance from enemies, the immediate context highlights Judah's profound spiritual dullness and hypocrisy. Verses 9-16 condemn the people's insensitivity, calling them spiritually blind, deaf, and drowsy. They observe religious rituals but their hearts are far from God (Is 29:13).

Isaiah 29:12 is a direct continuation and contrast to verse 11. Verse 11 describes divine revelation ("the whole vision") as a sealed book given to one who can read but cannot open it because it is sealed. Verse 12 then presents the parallel scenario: the same revelation is given to one who cannot read at all. Both scenarios emphasize the inaccessibility of God's truth to a spiritually unperceptive or hardened people. Historically, Judah in Isaiah's time was relying on human wisdom and alliances rather than true faith in God, leading to a spiritual condition where they could not discern divine counsel. The "book" here represents God's prophetic word, His divine will, and warnings, which the people of Jerusalem failed to grasp, either by explicit refusal or inherent spiritual incapacity.

Isaiah 29 12 Word analysis

• or if the book (w'o yitên eth-hasSêpher וְאוֹ־יִתֵּן אֶת־הַסֵּפֶר):

  • וְאוֹ (w'o): "or if." Introduces an alternative scenario, contrasting with Is 29:11.
  • יִתֵּן (yitên): "is given" (Qal Imperfect of נָתַן nathan, to give, but used impersonally or in a passive sense here). Indicates the delivery of the scroll.
  • אֶת־הַסֵּפֶר (eth-hasSêpher): "the book" or "the scroll."
    • סֵפֶר (sepher): refers to a scroll, document, or written revelation. In this prophetic context, it signifies divine messages, God's prophetic word, or the vision mentioned in verse 11. It carries weight as a record of divine truth, not just any text.

• is delivered (implicit in "is given" - יִתֵּן)

• to one who cannot read ('asher lo'-yada' sepher אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַע סֵפֶר):

  • אֲשֶׁר ('asher): "who."
  • לֹא־יָדַע (lo'-yada'): "does not know."
    • יָדַע (yada'): "to know," "to understand," "to perceive." This is not merely a technical inability to decipher letters. In a biblical context, "knowing" often implies a deep, relational understanding or comprehension.
  • סֵפֶר (sepher): "a book/scroll."
  • Combined, it literally means "who does not know a book." This phrase signifies not only illiteracy but a fundamental lack of familiarity with and comprehension of the written word, particularly spiritual or prophetic texts. It points to a deep spiritual unpreparedness.

• saying, “Read this,” (lê'môr qêra' na' zeh לֵאמֹר קְרָא־נָא זֶה):

  • לֵאמֹר (lê'môr): "saying."
  • קְרָא־נָא (qera' na'): "please read."
    • קְרָא (qera'): "read," "proclaim." A direct command.
    • נָא (na'): A particle of entreaty or emphasis, often translated as "please" or "now."
  • זֶה (zeh): "this."
  • The command highlights that the opportunity to engage with the divine word is offered, making the subsequent rejection more telling.

• he answers, “I cannot read.” (wayyomer lo' 'êynennî yôdê'a sêpher וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֵינֶנִּי יוֹדֵעַ סֵפֶר):

  • וַיֹּאמֶר (wayyomer): "and he says/answers."
  • לֹא (lo'): "no." A definite refusal.
  • אֵינֶנִּי יוֹדֵעַ סֵפֶר ('êynennî yôdê'a sêpher): "I do not know a book."
    • אֵינֶנִּי ('êynennî): "I am not," or "I have not."
    • יוֹדֵעַ (yôdê'a): "knowing" (Qal Participle of יָדַע yada').
  • This is the equivalent of the earlier phrase for "cannot read," confirming a total inability or lack of prerequisite knowledge/understanding. It underlines the helplessness of those spiritually unequipped to deal with God's message.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "or if the book is delivered to one who cannot read": This phrase introduces the specific audience and their condition. It is not an arbitrary choice of who receives the book, but highlights the common spiritual state in Judah – a deep lack of readiness and capacity to grasp divine revelation. The scroll (book) is God's truth, given, but immediately rendered inert by the recipient's spiritual unpreparedness.
  • "saying, “Read this,” he answers, “I cannot read.”": This direct dialogue reveals the unbridgeable gap. The command to "read" implies the expectation of understanding and engagement. The response "I cannot read" is not merely an admission of illiteracy, but an admission of spiritual impotency or a profound barrier to spiritual understanding, demonstrating that God's truth cannot be simply 'read' or intellectually grasped by those without the necessary spiritual receptivity.

Isaiah 29 12 Bonus section

This passage serves as a powerful illustration of the need for divine grace in understanding the Bible. Both the "educated" (Is 29:11, who face a sealed book) and the "uneducated" (Is 29:12, who cannot read) are depicted as unable to comprehend God's revelation on their own terms. This shows that neither human intellect nor social standing can grant access to divine truth. It's a critique of intellectual arrogance and spiritual complacency alike. The solution is not merely education or unsealing, but God's work in the human heart, to grant wisdom and open eyes (Eph 1:17-18). Without this, the Word remains a mystery. Practically, it means we should approach scripture with humility, prayer for illumination, and dependence on the Holy Spirit rather than solely on our own mental prowess or human learning. It teaches us that true literacy regarding God's Word is a spiritual gift.

Isaiah 29 12 Commentary

Isaiah 29:12 acts as a stark spiritual indictment, contrasting sharply with the previous verse where the able reader is met with a sealed book. Here, the book—God's prophetic word and vision for Judah—is presented to someone explicitly characterized as unable to "read" or comprehend. This verse goes beyond literal literacy, symbolizing a pervasive spiritual condition among God's people where they have lost the capacity for divine discernment. Their spiritual senses are dulled, and their hearts are hardened (as foreshadowed in Is 6:9-10). Even if the "seal" of God's mysterious plan were broken, these individuals would still be incapable of grasping its import due to their internal spiritual deficiencies. This inability is not God's primary doing in terms of withholding; rather, it is a consequence of their rejection of true knowledge and dependence on human wisdom and religious forms without a living heart. The divine wisdom that brings life becomes impenetrable folly to those who lack a relationship with the divine Giver of wisdom (1 Cor 2:14). It underscores the biblical principle that spiritual truth must be spiritually discerned and that understanding comes as a gift from God, opening the heart to receive it (Luke 24:45). This passage serves as a sobering reminder that access to God's revelation requires a spiritually receptive heart, not merely intellectual capacity or a readily available text.