Isaiah 29:9-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:9-12

NEITHER WARNING NOR PROMISE COMPREHENDED BY THOSE TO WHOM THEY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED , "Who hath believed our report?" says the prophet in another place ( Isaiah 53:1 ), "and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" It was among the most painful circumstances attaching to the prophetical office, that scarcely ever was the prophet held in any esteem among his own people, or in his own lifetime. Isaiah knows that his warning will fall dead—that the people and their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:9-12

Spiritual incapacity. Our powers, as men and women, are limited enough; and it may well be that those of God's children who move in wider spheres and are endowed with greater capacities look down in wonder, if not with amusement, on our large pretensions. Yet we talk freely of the incapable, the feeble, the helpless, as if we ourselves were strong. There are various degrees of power and weakness among us, but the most important belong to that kind of incapacity to which the text refers. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:10

The Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. "Sleep," in Scripture, is sometimes "rest," "repose from trouble" ("So he giveth his beloved sleep," Psalms 128:2 ). But here it is "spiritual deadness and impassiveness"—an inability to appreciate, or even to understand, spiritual warnings. The Jews of Isaiah's time were sunk in a spiritual lethargy, from which he vainly endeavored to arouse them. This spiritual lethargy is here said to have been "poured out upon them by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:11

The vision of all ; i.e. "the entire vision"—all that Isaiah has put before them in verses 1-8. As the words of a book that is sealed ; rather, the words of a letter (marginal rendering) or writing . Written documents were often sealed up to secure secrecy, the sealing being done in various ways. When the writing was on a clay tablet, it was often enclosed in a clay envelope, so that the document could not be read till the outer clay covering was broken. Rolls of papyrus or... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:11

God's Word a sealed Book. Reference is to the prophecies of Isaiah, which were evidently circulated in writing among the people; but, by reason of prevailing hypocrisy, pride, and obstinacy, they were not understood—they were like a sealed book (compare the figure in Revelation 5:2 ). The connection of the text may be stated thus: "The hearers stare in astonishment at a prophecy seemingly so out of relation to facts. The prophet warns them that, if they willfully deaden their spiritual... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 29:12

Him that is not learned ; i.e. "that cannot read writing." Even in our Lord's day the ordinary Jew was not taught to read and write. Hence the surprise of the rulers at his teaching the people out of the Law ( John 7:15 , "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?"). read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 29:9

Stay yourselves - Thus far the prophet had given a description of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, and of his sudden overthrow. He now turns to the Jews, and reproves their stupidity, formality, and hypocrisy; and the remainder of the chapter is occupied with a statement of the prevalence of these sins, of the judgments that must follow, and of the fact that there should yet be an extensive reformation, and turning to the Lord. The word rendered ‘stay yourselves’ (התמהמהוּ hı̂temahemehû)... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 29:10

For the Lord hath poured out upon you - The word rendered ‘hath poured out’ (נסך nâsak) is usually referred to the act of pouring out a libation, or drink-offering in worship Exodus 30:9; Hosea 9:4; Isaiah 30:1. Here it means that Yahweh had, as it were, “drenched them” (Septuagint, πεπότικε pepotike) with a spirit of stupefaction. This is traced to God in accordance with the usual custom in the Bible, by which his providential agency is recognized in all events (see the notes at Isaiah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 29:11

And the vision of all - The vision of all the prophets; that is, all the revelations which God has made to you (see the note at Isaiah 1:1). The prophet refers not only to his own communications, but to those of his contemporaries, and of all who had gone before him. The sense is, that although they had the communications which God had made to them, yet they did not understand them. They were as ignorant of their true nature as a man who can read is of the contents of a letter that is sealed... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 29:12

And the book is delivered ... - That is, they are just as ignorant of the true nature and meaning of the revelations of God as a man is of the contents of a book who is utterly unable to read. read more

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