Isaiah 29:8 kjv
It 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.
Isaiah 29:8 nkjv
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."
Isaiah 29:8 niv
as 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.
Isaiah 29:8 esv
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.
Isaiah 29:8 nlt
A 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."
Isaiah 29 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 29:9 | Be amazed and wonder. Blind yourselves and be blind. Be drunk, but not from wine; stagger, but not from strong drink. | Prophetic judgment; spiritual blindness |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you... | Consequence of rejecting God's word |
| Amos 8:11 | “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.” | Famine of God's word |
| Matthew 15:14 | “Leave them alone; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” | Spiritual leaders as blind guides |
| John 9:41 | Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim to see, your sin remains.” | Wilful blindness leads to sin |
| Romans 1:21 | For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became worthless, and their foolish hearts were darkened. | Spiritual darkness from rejecting God |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:11 | For this reason God sends a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie... | God sending a spirit of delusion |
| Psalm 74:9 | We see no signs, no prophets are left, and none of us know how long. | Lack of divine signs/prophets |
| Lamentations 2:9 | Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations, but there is no longer any law; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD. | Absence of law and prophetic vision |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it this way. But what will you do when the end comes? | False prophecy and corrupted priesthood |
| Ezekiel 13:6 | They see false visions and lying divinations. They say, “The LORD declares,” even though the LORD has not sent them; yet they wait for their prophecy to come true. | False prophets' claims |
| John 3:19 | This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. | Preference for darkness |
| Isaiah 30:9 | For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children who refuse to listen to the LORD’s instruction. | Refusal to listen to God's instruction |
| Isaiah 56:10 | His watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs and cannot bark; they love to dream of slumber. | Blind and ineffective watchmen |
| Proverbs 19:2 | Zeal without knowledge is no good; haste without consideration causes missteps. | Importance of knowledge |
| 2 Peter 3:16 | ...in all his letters some things are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. | Distortion of scripture |
| 1 Corinthians 1:20 | Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | God making worldly wisdom foolish |
| Isaiah 29:14 | Therefore I will again deal marvelously with these people, even wondrously; yes, the marvelous work of the people shall be for naught. | God's judgement on human effort |
| Deuteronomy 28:28 | The LORD will strike you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind. | Curse of blindness from disobedience |
| 1 Samuel 3:1 | Now the boy Samuel served the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many public visions. | Rareness of God's word in previous times |
Isaiah 29 verses
Isaiah 29 8 Meaning
The verse describes a spiritual emptiness experienced by a nation, specifically relating to a dream and a vision, signifying a loss of divine guidance and understanding. It highlights that this spiritual hunger is unsatisfied, as what they desire (divine revelation) is not granted by God due to their sin.
Isaiah 29 8 Context
Isaiah chapter 29 is a prophecy directed towards Jerusalem (the "Ariel" or hearth of God). This particular verse speaks of a spiritual drought afflicting the people. They are characterized as dreaming of satisfaction but finding none, much like a hungry person dreams of feasting but wakes up empty. This spiritual malaise is a consequence of their disobedience and rejection of God's word. The prophecy serves as a warning and a lament over their spiritual state. The historical context involves the Assyrian threat during Isaiah's time, where reliance on political alliances rather than God led to spiritual apathy.
Isaiah 29 8 Word Analysis
- And (וְ, vav) - Conjunction, linking the previous verse's affirmation with the following description of spiritual hunger.
- it is (הָיָה, hayah) - Verb "to be" in past tense, indicating a state of being or occurrence.
- as (כְּ, kef) - Preposition, signifying similarity or resemblance.
- a hungry man (רָעֵב, ra'ev) - Noun, describing someone experiencing hunger, indicating a state of want and need.
- dreameth (חָלַם, chalam) - Verb, to dream. Here, it describes a longing or desire, often unfulfilled, in a state of subconsciousness.
- and (וְ, vav) - Conjunction.
- behold (הִנֵּה, hinneh) - Interjection, calling attention to something.
- an ]ashamed (or he is in distress) - In Hebrew, the word is typically translated as "ashamed," but some scholars suggest a connection to the verb "to bind" or "to be distressed" due to sin or suffering. This might also refer to a sense of being trapped or bound by their sin, leading to a lack of fulfillment. (A related word for distress or pain is also used in similar contexts).
- if (כִּי, ki) - Conjunction, introducing a condition or reason.
- he eat (יֹאכַל, yochal) - Verb, future tense of "to eat," indicating the act of consumption.
- but (וְ, vav) - Conjunction, used here to express contrast or exception.
- it is (כִּי, ki) - Conjunction, indicating cause or reason.
- empty (רִיק, riq or רֵיק, re'iq) - Adjective, meaning void, hollow, or empty, signifying no substance or satisfaction.
Word Groups Analysis
- "as a hungry man dreameth": This phrase paints a vivid picture of profound longing and unsatisfied desire. The hunger is for spiritual sustenance, and the dreaming represents a futile attempt to find it. It captures the internal emptiness and the vain hopes of those who seek satisfaction apart from God.
- "and behold he is ashemed": This emphasizes the negative outcome of their unfulfilled desires. The "ashamed" here might imply a sense of failure or shame at their inability to find what they seek, or a recognition of their futility. Alternatively, some interpretations suggest this could mean "he is bound" or "he is faint" from his fruitless pursuit.
- "if he eat, but it is empty": This clause further illustrates the point. Even if they engage in practices they believe will bring fulfillment (metaphorically "eating"), the result is still emptiness, a lack of substance and true satisfaction, because the source is wrong.
Isaiah 29 8 Bonus Section
The concept of a "hungry man dreaming" is a powerful metaphor for a deceived spiritual state. It's akin to chasing after the wind or trying to catch smoke. This verse highlights that true satisfaction can only come from God's provision. The repeated use of "empty" underscores the futility of seeking fulfillment apart from the Divine source. It also connects to the idea found in other scriptures that God can remove His word and His presence when His people become hardened in their sin, leading to a famine of spiritual discernment. This theme is echoed in the New Testament, where spiritual fulfillment is found in Christ, the Bread of Life.
Isaiah 29 8 Commentary
This verse profoundly illustrates spiritual emptiness resulting from rejecting God's truth. The people of Judah, addressed as Ariel, are portrayed as spiritually famished, seeking fulfillment but finding only a hollow echo of their desires. They chase after dreams of peace and security, much like a hungry person dreams of a feast. However, when they "eat" in their dreams (i.e., pursue their own understanding or rely on worldly means), the experience is unsatisfying and leaves them empty. The inability to satisfy their spiritual hunger stems from their spiritual blindness and deafness, caused by their sin and refusal to heed God's word. God intentionally withholds the true "food" – His revelation and presence – from those who have turned away from Him, leaving them to the bitter fruit of their choices.