Isaiahchapter 29

24 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 374 cross-references outward and receives 327 — heaviest partner: Isaiah.

Chapter summary

Ariel, "the city where David encamped," receives a double word: Jehovah himself lays siege until Jerusalem whispers from the dust, then in an instant scatters the multitude of her foes like chaff, leaving the attacking nations a hungry man's dream. The people are drunken but not with wine; all vision has become a sealed book handed to learned and unlearned alike. Because this people honors God with lips while the heart is far removed — the verse Jesus applies to the Pharisees in Matthew 15:8-9 — Jehovah will do a marvelous work, and the wisdom of the wise shall perish, quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19. Woe lands on counsel-hiders who invert potter and clay. Then reversal: Lebanon becomes a fruitful field, the deaf hear the words of the book, the blind see, the meek rejoice, the terrible one comes to nought, and Jacob's erring children reach understanding.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — see the Isaiah overview for the book's full setting.

1 Ho Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped! add ye year to year; let the feasts come round:

2 then will I distress Ariel, and there shall be mourning and lamentation; and she shall be unto me as Ariel.

3 And I will encamp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with posted troops, and I will raise siege works against thee.

4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

5 But the multitude of thy foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be in an instant suddenly.

6 She shall be visited of Jehovah of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her stronghold, and that distress her, shall be as a dream, a vision of the night.

8 And it shall be as when a 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.

9 Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.