Isaiah 29 2

Isaiah 29:2 kjv

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

Isaiah 29:2 nkjv

Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow, And it shall be to Me as Ariel.

Isaiah 29:2 niv

Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to me like an altar hearth.

Isaiah 29:2 esv

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be moaning and lamentation, and she shall be to me like an Ariel.

Isaiah 29:2 nlt

Yet 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.

Isaiah 29 verses

Isaiah 29 2 Meaning

The verse signifies God's deep distress and mourning over Jerusalem, which He calls by the names "Ariel," meaning "Lion of God." This poetic address highlights the city's sacredness, as well as its current state of ruin and desolation, evoking a powerful image of God's personal grief.

Isaiah 29 2 Context

This verse is part of Isaiah chapter 29, which focuses on judgment against Jerusalem and the people of Judah. The chapter highlights their hypocrisy and reliance on human strength and political alliances rather than on God. The specific context here is God lamenting the impending destruction of Jerusalem, a city He Himself has chosen and called "Ariel," signifying His presence and protection. The prophecy addresses a time of siege and devastation.

Isaiah 29 2 Word Analysis

• וְעָרִ֥י (wə‘ārî): "And Ariel." The conjunction "and" connects this verse to the previous declaration of woe. "Ariel" (אֲרִיאֵל) literally means "Lion of God."
  • Significance: It's a poetic name for Jerusalem, likely given by Isaiah, emphasizing its strength (like a lion) and its special relationship with God. It can also be interpreted as "Hearth of God" or "Altar-hearth of God," highlighting its sacredness.
  • Related concept: God is seen as their strength and defender, a "lion" protecting His own (Proverbs 28:1). However, here the name is ironically applied to a city under divine judgment.
• וְעָרִ֥ (wə‘ārî): Repetition of "Ariel."
  • Significance: The repetition intensifies the focus on Jerusalem, underscoring its unique identity and the gravity of God's grief over it.
• הוֹסִ֖יפ (hōsîp): "I will add." This verb suggests an intensification or an augmentation of troubles.
  • Significance: It implies that the calamities about to befall Ariel will be severe and abundant, surpassing anything previously experienced.
• יְלִיל (yəlîl): "Wailing" or "lamentation."
  • Significance: A cry of deep grief and sorrow, indicating mourning and distress. It evokes images of a funeral dirge.
• וַאֲנָחָֽה (wanaḥāh): "And groaning" or "and sighing."
  • Significance: A physical manifestation of pain and suffering, underscoring the intense emotional and physical anguish the inhabitants will endure.
• וְהָֽיְתָה־ (wəhāyəṯâ-): "And she shall be."
  • Significance: This links the affliction with the identity of the city itself, making the judgment deeply personal to Ariel.
• לִי֙ (lî): "To me" or "for me."
  • Significance: Emphasizes God's personal investment and stake in the fate of Jerusalem. The judgment affects Him because of His covenant relationship with the city and its people.
• כַּאֲרִיאֵ֑ל (ka’ărî’ēl): "Like Ariel." This phrase is difficult. Interpretations vary.
  • Literal interpretation: "Like Ariel." Some suggest it refers to a fierce or even savage opponent, a "lion-like" foe, or a devastated place, losing its "Lion of God" vitality.
  • Alternative readings: Some scholars suggest textual variants, such as reading ‘erî (עֳרִי), meaning "naked" or "my shepherd," or ‘ĕwî (עֵוִי), potentially referring to a demon or unclean spirit.
  • Most widely accepted interpretation: It likely emphasizes the contrast. If Ariel means "Lion of God" representing God's power and protection, then being "like Ariel" in distress means a state of extreme suffering, perhaps even a perverted or absent representation of God's presence or power in the midst of judgment. It could imply a desolation so profound that it is "like" a desecrated sacred place. Some scholars connect it to "Erebus," a place of darkness, emphasizing the dire state. It could also mean becoming like a sacrificial altar laid bare, or a place that once housed God's presence now overrun.
  • The phrase implies that Jerusalem, once identified with the strength and presence of God ("Lion of God"), will be reduced to a state that bears the mark of God's grief and judgment, becoming like a symbol of ruin or desolation associated with God's mourning.

Isaiah 29 2 Bonus Section

The poetic naming of Jerusalem as "Ariel" is unique to Isaiah. This imagery connects Jerusalem not only to God's protective strength ("Lion of God") but potentially also to the altar in the Temple ("hearth of God" or "altar-hearth of God"), a place where God's presence was particularly manifest. The verse foreshadows periods of intense suffering and mourning for the city, aligning with the Babylonian exile and later Roman destruction. The personal nature of God's lament emphasizes His deep emotional connection to His people and His chosen city, underscoring that judgment is a sorrowful necessity, not a detached act. The difficulty of the phrase "like Ariel" may indeed point to the complete inversion of Jerusalem's intended character as a city of God's praise and presence.

Isaiah 29 2 Commentary

Isaiah 29:2 expresses God's profound grief over Jerusalem's impending destruction. The city, named "Ariel," is symbolic of God's dwelling place and protectorate. Yet, its sins bring severe judgment. God Himself mourns for Ariel, personalizing the judgment. The "wailing and groaning" are not just human reactions but are attributed to the city as it undergoes God's afflicting hand. The final phrase, "like Ariel," highlights a deep and perhaps paradoxical outcome: the city that is "Lion of God" will experience a desolation that, in its starkness, becomes a grim symbol of divine judgment and sorrow, even possibly a place where God's presence seems absent or overturned, starkly contrasting with its former glory.