Isaiah 29:9-12
New English Translation
God’s People Are Spiritually Insensitive
9 You will be shocked and amazed![a]
You are totally blind![b]
They are drunk, but not because of wine;
they stagger,[c] but not because of beer.
10 For the Lord has poured out on you
a strong urge to sleep deeply.[d]
He has shut your eyes (you prophets),
and covered your heads (you seers).
11 To you this entire prophetic revelation[e] is like words in a sealed scroll. When they hand it to one who can read[f] and say, “Read this,” he responds, “I can’t, because it is sealed.” 12 Or when they hand the scroll to one who can’t read[g] and say, “Read this,” he says, “I can’t read.”[h]
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- Isaiah 29:9 tn The form הִתְמַהְמְהוּ (hitmahmehu) is a Hitpalpel imperative from מָהַהּ (mahah, “hesitate”). If it is retained, one might translate “halt and be amazed.” The translation assumes an emendation to הִתַּמְּהוּ (hittammehu), a Hitpael imperative from תָּמַה (tamah, “be amazed”). In this case, the text, like Hab 1:5, combines the Hitpael and Qal imperatival forms of תָּמַה (tamah). A literal translation might be “Shock yourselves and be shocked!” The repetition of sound draws attention to the statement. The imperatives here have the force of an emphatic assertion. On this use of the imperative in Hebrew, see GKC 324 §110.c and IBHS 572 §34.4c.
- Isaiah 29:9 tn Heb “Blind yourselves and be blind!” The Hitpalpel and Qal imperatival forms of שָׁעַע (shaʿaʿ, “be blind”) are combined to draw attention to the statement. The imperatives have the force of an emphatic assertion.
- Isaiah 29:9 tc Some prefer to emend the last two verbs from their perfect form to an imperative (e.g., NAB, NCV, NRSV), since the people are addressed in the immediately preceding and following contexts.
- Isaiah 29:10 tn Heb “a disposition [or “spirit”] of deep sleep.” Through this mixed metaphor (sleep is likened to a liquid which one pours and in turn symbolizes spiritual dullness) the prophet emphasizes that God himself has given the people over to their spiritual insensitivity as a form of judgment.
- Isaiah 29:11 tn Heb “vision” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
- Isaiah 29:11 tn Heb “one who knows a/the scroll.”
- Isaiah 29:12 tn Heb “and if the scroll is handed to one who does not know a scroll.”
- Isaiah 29:12 tn Heb “I do not know a scroll.”
Isaiah 29:9-12
Lexham English Bible
9 Be astonished and be amazed!
Blind yourselves and be blinded!
They are drunk but[a] not from wine;
they stagger but[b] not from strong drink.
10 For Yahweh has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep,
and he has shut your eyes, the prophets,
and he has covered your heads, the seers.
11 And the vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. When they give it to one who knows the[c] document, saying, “Read[d] this now!” He says, “I am not able, for it is sealed.” 12 And if the document is given to one who does not know how to read,[e] saying, “Read[f] this now!” he says, “I do not know how to read.”[g]
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- Isaiah 29:9 Or “and”
- Isaiah 29:9 Or “and”
- Isaiah 29:11 The reading tradition (Qere) has “a” instead of “the”
- Isaiah 29:11 Literally “Call”
- Isaiah 29:12 Literally “know a document”
- Isaiah 29:12 Literally “Call”
- Isaiah 29:12 Literally “know a document”
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