Isaiah 29:9 kjv
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Isaiah 29:9 nkjv
Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
Isaiah 29:9 niv
Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer.
Isaiah 29:9 esv
Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink!
Isaiah 29:9 nlt
Are 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!
Isaiah 29 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa. 29:9 | "Pause and wonder, and be blind! Be blind, and be not able; I will continue to give you wine,..." | Isaiah 29:9 |
| Isa. 6:9-10 | "And he said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing,..." | Judgment of spiritual dullness |
| Matt. 13:13-15 | "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not..." | Jesus quotes Isaiah 6 |
| John 12:40 | “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and..." | Fulfillment of Isaiah 6:10 |
| Rom. 11:8 | "as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see, and ears that..." | God's sovereign hardening |
| 2 Cor. 3:14 | "But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, the same veil..." | Veil on the hearts |
| 2 Thes. 2:11 | "Therefore God sends a dwelling spirit of delusion, so that they may believe what is false..." | Working of delusion |
| Jer. 5:21 | "Hear now this, O foolish people and blind, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but..." | Similar condemnation |
| Deut. 29:4 | "But the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear, to this..." | Lack of understanding |
| Psalm 69:22-23 | "May their own table become a snare before them, and their fellowship a trap. May their eyes be..." | Prayer for judgment |
| Isa. 30:1-2 | "“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and..." | Human plans over divine |
| Prov. 1:24-27 | "Because I called and you refused to answer; because I stretched out my hand and no one paid..." | Rejection of God's call |
| Ezek. 12:2 | “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not,..." | Rebellious house |
| Micah 3:6-7 | "Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry, ‘Peace!’ when..." | False prophets |
| Hos. 4:6 | “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject..." | Lack of knowledge |
| Matt. 23:37 | "“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!..." | Jesus laments over Jerusalem |
| Mark 8:18 | "Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?" | Jesus rebukes disciples |
| Luke 8:10 | "and he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others..." | Mystery of the kingdom |
| 1 Cor. 2:14 | "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him..." | Natural vs. Spiritual |
| Eph. 4:18 | "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance..." | Darkened understanding |
| Rev. 3:17 | "For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not knowing that you are wretched, blind, poor, naked, and miserable." | Laodicean complacency |
Isaiah 29 verses
Isaiah 29 9 Meaning
Isaiah 29:9 describes a profound spiritual dullness and inability to comprehend God's truth among the people of Jerusalem. It emphasizes a pervasive state of stupor, rendering them unable to perceive, understand, or be taught. The verse paints a picture of blindness of the eyes and dormancy of the mind, a consequence of their wilful disobedience and spiritual apostasy.
Isaiah 29 9 Context
Isaiah 29 prophesies against Ariel (Jerusalem). The chapter details the impending judgment upon the city for its hypocrisy, idolatry, and defiance of God's commands. Despite professing to honor God, their hearts were far from Him. They relied on human wisdom and alliances rather than God. This spiritual blindness is presented as a consequence of their deliberate rejection of divine truth and their entanglement with foreign spiritual practices. The verse marks a shift into God's specific judgment upon Jerusalem, highlighting their chosen ignorance as a prelude to destruction or severe discipline.
Isaiah 29 9 Word analysis
וַהֲפַכְתֶּם (wahǎfáḵtɛm): "And you will turn," "and you shall reverse."
- Root: הפך (hafáḵ) - to turn over, overturn, subvert, reverse.
- Significance: Implies a radical reversal of their understanding and perception. They will not only be blind but their perception itself will be turned upside down, rendering true sight impossible.
וַתִּהְיוּ (wattihyū): "And you shall be," "and you shall become."
- Significance: Expresses the state or condition they will be reduced to as a result of their actions and God's judgment.
עִוְרִים (‘iwrîm): "blind."
- Plural masculine adjective.
- Significance: A literal or spiritual state of lacking the ability to see. In this context, it strongly refers to spiritual blindness – an inability to understand God's word and ways.
פִּקְחוּ (piqḥū): "Be opened," "Open your eyes."
- Imperative form of פקח (paqaḥ) - to open eyes, open.
- Significance: A sharp, often ironic, command from God. He commands them to open their eyes, knowing full well they cannot or will not because of their condition. It's a paradoxical command emphasizing their helplessness and guilt.
עִוְרוּ (‘iwrū): "Be blind," "Become blind."
- Another imperative form, reinforcing the command to blindness, or describing the state they will be in.
- Significance: This repetition ("be blind! Be blind") intensifies the warning, conveying a finality to their spiritual impairment.
מַשְׁקִים (mašqîm): "you who give drink," "drink."
- From the root שׁקה (šāqâ) - to give drink. In this context, it seems to refer to them giving themselves to drink or being given something intoxicating.
- Significance: Suggests intoxication or being deliberately dazed, akin to drinking strong wine, which further impairs their ability to perceive clearly.
וַאֲחֶרֶת (wa’ăḥɛreṯ): "and another."
- Feminine adjective or noun.
- Significance: Refers to a different kind of drink or state, or perhaps a consequence upon consequence.
וְסַמֶּךְ (wəsammɛḵ): "and you lean," "and you are supported."
- From the root סמך (samáḵ) - to lean upon, support.
- Significance: Points to reliance on something other than God. They will rely on their own wisdom, or the false comfort of their current state, rather than God's truth. This can also refer to being supported by wine, continuing the theme of intoxication.
Group analysis: The phrase "Be blind, and be not able" (עִוְרוּ וְאַל תּוּכָלוּ) highlights the sovereign hand of God in their condition; their blindness is a judgment that renders them incapable of correcting it. The subsequent description of being "drinkers" and "leaning" (מַשְׁקִים וְסַמֶּךְ) emphasizes their willing participation in this state of spiritual stupor and their misplaced reliance.
Isaiah 29 9 Bonus section
The imagery of spiritual intoxication, consuming drink that causes blindness and stupor, is a recurring theme in prophetic literature. It conveys a people so steeped in sin and deception that they can no longer discern truth. This can be likened to the proverb that states, "wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise" (Prov. 20:1). The reference to being "given wine" can also be understood as God actively delivering them over to their own delusions, a form of judgment where He ceases to contend with them, allowing their chosen path of spiritual decay to run its course. This condition also echoes the "Laodicean" church described in Revelation, which falsely believes itself to be prosperous while being spiritually destitute and blind (Rev. 3:17).
Isaiah 29 9 Commentary
The verse functions as a severe prophetic pronouncement against the spiritual state of Jerusalem. It portrays a self-imposed spiritual stupor and blindness that God will, in His judgment, allow to become a permanent condition. They have deliberately chosen to ignore God's clear calls and warnings, preferring the "intoxication" of their own self-sufficiency and sinful practices. God’s pronouncement, "Be blind, and be not able," signifies that their spiritual decay has reached a point where their capacity for divine understanding is removed as a consequence of their persistent rejection. They are given over to a spirit of delusion, finding solace in what blinds them further.