Isaiah Institute Translation
Isaiah 29
- a2 Or, Ariel, a wordplay.
- b5 So 1QIsaa; LXX. MT of strangers.
King James Version
KJV
|
Isaiah Institute Translation
IIT
|
Masoretic Text
HEB
|
|
---|---|---|---|
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. | 1 | Woe to Ariel—Ariel, the city where David lodged!Though you add year to year,and the feastdays recur in succession, | הוֹי אֲרִיאֵל אֲרִיאֵל קִרְיַת חָנָה דָוִד סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל־שָׁנָה חַגִּים יִנְקֹפוּ ׃ |
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. | 2 | yet will I distress Ariel:there shall be mourning and sorrowwhen she becomes as my aaltar hearth.a | וַהֲצִיקוֹתִי לַאֲרִיאֵל וְהָיְתָה תַאֲנִיָּה וַאֲנִיָּה וְהָיְתָה לִּי כַּאֲרִיאֵל ׃ |
And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. | 3 | I will encamp against you round about,and beleaguer you with assault posts,and erect siege installations against you. | וְחָנִיתִי כַדּוּר עָלָיִךְ וְצַרְתִּי עָלַיִךְ מֻצָּב וַהֲקִימֹתִי עָלַיִךְ מְצֻרֹת ׃ |
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. | 4 | And when you have been laid low,you will speak from the ground,your words uttering out of the dust:your voice from the groundshall be like that of a medium;your sayings shall whisper out of the dust. | וְשָׁפַלְתְּ מֵאֶרֶץ תְּדַבֵּרִי וּמֵעָפָר תִּשַּׁח אִמְרָתֵךְ וְהָיָה כְּאוֹב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֹלֵךְ וּמֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵךְ תְּצַפְצֵף ׃ |
Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly. | 5 | Suddenly, in an instant,your crowds of evildoersb shall become as fine dust,your violent mobs like flying chaff. | וְהָיָה כְּאָבָק דַּק הֲמוֹן זָרָיִךְ וּכְמֹץ עֹבֵר הֲמוֹן עָרִיצִים וְהָיָה לְפֶתַע פִּתְאֹם ׃ |
Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. | 6 | She shall be chastened by Jehovah of Hostswith thunderous quakings,resounding booms, tempestuous blastsand conflagrations of devouring flame. | מֵעִם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת תִּפָּקֵד בְּרַעַם וּבְרַעַשׁ וְקוֹל גָּדוֹל סוּפָה וּסְעָרָה וְלַהַב אֵשׁ אוֹכֵלָה ׃ |
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. | 7 | And the nations amassed to fight against Ariel,all who congregate at her strongholdto distress her,shall be as a dream seen in the night: | וְהָיָה כַּחֲלוֹם חֲזוֹן לַיְלָה הֲמוֹן כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם הַצֹּבְאִים עַל־אֲרִיאֵל וְכָל־צֹבֶיהָ וּמְצֹדָתָהּ וְהַמְּצִיקִים לָהּ ׃ |
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. | 8 | like a hungry man who dreams he eatsbut awakens famished,or like a thirsty man who dreams he drinksbut wakes up faint and craving.So shall be all the nationsthat amass to fight against Mount Zion. | וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחֲלֹם הָרָעֵב וְהִנֵּה אוֹכֵל וְהֵקִיץ וְרֵיקָה נַפְשׁוֹ וְכַאֲשֶׁר יַחֲלֹם הַצָּמֵא וְהִנֵּה שֹׁתֶה וְהֵקִיץ וְהִנֵּה עָיֵף וְנַפְשׁוֹ שׁוֹקֵקָה כֵּן יִהְיֶה הֲמוֹן כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם הַצֹּבְאִים עַל־הַר צִיּוֹן ׃ |
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. | 9 | Procrastinate, and become bewildered;preoccupy yourselves, until you cry for help.Be drunk, but not with wine;stagger, but not from strong drink. | הִתְמַהְמְהוּ וּתְמָהוּ הִשְׁתַּעַשְׁעוּ וָשֹׁעוּ שָׁכְרוּ וְלֹא־יַיִן נָעוּ וְלֹא שֵׁכָר ׃ |
For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. | 10 | Jehovah has poured out on youa spirit of deep sleep:he has shut your eyes, the prophets;he has covered your heads, the seers. | כִּי־נָסַךְ עֲלֵיכֶם יְהוָה רוּחַ תַּרְדֵּמָה וַיְעַצֵּם אֶת־עֵינֵיכֶם אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים וְאֶת־רָאשֵׁיכֶם הַחֹזִים כִּסָּה ׃ |
And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: | 11 | For you the sum of vision has become as the words of a sealed book that they give to one who is learned, saying, Please read this, and he answers, I cannot; it is sealed. | וַתְּהִי לָכֶם חָזוּת הַכֹּל כְּדִבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר הֶחָתוּם אֲשֶׁר־יִתְּנוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־יוֹדֵעַ הסֵפֶר (סֵפֶר) לֵאמֹר קְרָא נָא־זֶה וְאָמַר לֹא אוּכַל כִּי חָתוּם הוּא ׃ |
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. | 12 | Or if they give it to one who is unlearned, saying, Please read this, he answers, I am unlearned. | וְנִתַּן הַסֵּפֶר עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַע סֵפֶר לֵאמֹר קְרָא נָא־זֶה וְאָמַר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי סֵפֶר ׃ |
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: | 13 | But my Lord says, Because these peopleapproach me with the mouthand pay me homage with their lips,while their heart remains far from me—their piety toward me consisting ofcommandments of men learned by rote— | וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנָי יַעַן כִּי נִגַּשׁ הָעָם הַזֶּה בְּפִיו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו כִּבְּדוּנִי וְלִבּוֹ רִחַק מִמֶּנִּי וַתְּהִי יִרְאָתָם אֹתִי מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלֻמָּדָה ׃ |
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. | 14 | therefore it is that I shall again astound these peoplewith wonder upon wonder,rendering void the knowledge of their sagesand the intelligence of their wise men insignificant. | לָכֵן הִנְנִי יוֹסִף לְהַפְלִיא אֶת־הָעָם־הַזֶּה הַפְלֵא וָפֶלֶא וְאָבְדָה חָכְמַת חֲכָמָיו וּבִינַת נְבֹנָיו תִּסְתַּתָּר ׃ |
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? | 15 | Woe to those who contriveto hide their schemes from Jehovah!They work in the dark, thinking,Who will see us? Who will know? | הוֹי הַמַּעֲמִיקִים מֵיהוָה לַסְתִּר עֵצָה וְהָיָה בְמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי רֹאֵנוּ וּמִי יוֹדְעֵנוּ ׃ |
Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? | 16 | What a contradiction you are!Shall the potter be regarded as the clay?Shall what is made say of its maker,He did not make me,or a work of its designer, He doesn’t understand? | הַפְכְּכֶם אִם־כְּחֹמֶר הַיֹּצֵר יֵחָשֵׁב כִּי־יֹאמַר מַעֲשֶׂה לְעֹשֵׂהוּ לֹא עָשָׂנִי וְיֵצֶר אָמַר לְיוֹצְרוֹ לֹא הֵבִין ׃ |
Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? | 17 | In a very little while, shall not Lebanonagain become a fruitful land,and lands now fruitful be considered backwoods? | הֲלוֹא־עוֹד מְעַט מִזְעָר וְשָׁב לְבָנוֹן לַכַּרְמֶל וְהַכַּרְמֶל לַיַּעַר יֵחָשֵׁב ׃ |
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. | 18 | In that day shall the deaf hearthe words of the bookand the eyes of the blind seeout of gross darkness. | וְשָׁמְעוּ בַיּוֹם־הַהוּא הַחֵרְשִׁים דִּבְרֵי־סֵפֶר וּמֵאֹפֶל וּמֵחֹשֶׁךְ עֵינֵי עִוְרִים תִּרְאֶינָה ׃ |
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. | 19 | The lowly shall obtain an increase of joy in Jehovah,and the poorest of men rejoicein the Holy One of Israel. | וְיָסְפוּ עֲנָוִים בַּיהוָה שִׂמְחָה וְאֶבְיוֹנֵי אָדָם בִּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל יָגִילוּ ׃ |
For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: | 20 | For tyrants shall come to nought and scorners cease;all who watch for iniquity shall be cut off— | כִּי־אָפֵס עָרִיץ וְכָלָה לֵץ וְנִכְרְתוּ כָּל־שֹׁקְדֵי אָוֶן ׃ |
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. | 21 | those who at a word adjudge a man to be guilty,who ensnare the defender at court,who for nothing turn away him who is in the right. | מַחֲטִיאֵי אָדָם בְּדָבָר וְלַמּוֹכִיחַ בַּשַּׁעַר יְקֹשׁוּן וַיַּטּוּ בַתֹּהוּ צַדִּיק ׃ |
Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. | 22 | Therefore thus says Jehovah,who redeemed Abraham, to the house of Jacob:No longer shall Jacob be dismayed;his face shall pale no more. | לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֶל־בֵּית יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה אֶת־אַבְרָהָם לֹא־עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב וְלֹא עַתָּה פָּנָיו יֶחֱוָרוּ ׃ |
But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. | 23 | For when he sees among him his children,the work of my hands, hallowing my name,devoted to the Holy One of Jacob,reverencing the God of Israel, | כִּי בִרְאֹתוֹ יְלָדָיו מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי בְּקִרְבּוֹ יַקְדִּישׁוּ שְׁמִי וְהִקְדִּישׁוּ אֶת־קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַעֲרִיצוּ ׃ |
They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. | 24 | then will the erring in spirit gain understandingand they who murmured accept instruction. | וְיָדְעוּ תֹעֵי־רוּחַ בִּינָה וְרוֹגְנִים יִלְמְדוּ־לֶקַח ׃ |
וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אָחָז בֶּן־יוֹתָם בֶּן־עֻזִּיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה עָלָה רְצִין מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם וּפֶקַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל יְרוּשָׁלִַם לַמִּלְחָמָה עָלֶיהָ וְלֹא יָכֹל לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ ׃ | |
King James Version
KJV
|
Isaiah Institute Translation
IIT
|
---|---|
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. |
When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not overpower it. |
Apocalyptic Commentary |
---|
Two generations of kings from the time Isaiah receives his prophetic commission, an expansionist Assyria threatens to invade the kingdom of Aram (Syria), the ten-tribed Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah and to annex them into its empire. When King Ahaz of Judah refuses to join Aram and Israel in an alliance to resist Assyria, they invade the Southern Kingdom to overthrow Ahaz and put a puppet ruler on his throne who will join their coalition. Ahaz, moreover, becomes an important type in the Book of Isaiah of an end-time ruler who proves disloyal to Israel’s God. |
Chapter Index
Vignette 1
Help spread Isaiah’s end-time message to the world!
Help spread Isaiah’s end-time message to the world!
Apocalyptic Commentary
Isaiah 29
Dual meanings of the name Ariel—“Altar Hearth” and “Lion of God”—allude to the dual destinies of Jehovah’s people whom it symbolizes. The “city” that represents his people divides in two: one part turns to wickedness and suffers a Sodom-and-Gomorrah type of destruction; the other turns to righteousness and enjoys deliverance at the intercession of Jehovah’s servant David (Isaiah 1:21, 26-27; 25:1-2; 26:1-6; 37:20, 35; 55:3-4). In spite of his people’s observing annual feastdays and solemn occasions, and of his servant’s having dwelt among them, Jehovah’s curse on Ariel attests to their apostasy.
As Jehovah’s alienated people were beleaguered and laid low in the dust anciently, so they are laid low in his end-time Day of Judgment. For all who pertain to Isaiah’s Babylon category, Assyria’s invasion ends in destruction as it did in the past (Isaiah 10:28-34; 21:1-2). Even the Zion/Jerusalem category undergoes Assyria’s siege until Jehovah has fully proven his people’s loyalty (Isaiah 1:7-8; 31:4-5). The history of Jehovah’s ancient people and their demise are told for the benefit of his end-time people. The voice designates Jehovah’s servant, a seer (Isaiah 28:16; 50:10) who tells their tale.
When the archtyrant launches his worldwide holocaust, the “crowds of evildoers” and “violent mobs” among Jehovah’s people turn into “fine dust” and “flying chaff”—into chaotic matter or nonentities. The wicked’s rage against the righteous reaching fever pitch in those days signals that the end is near: “Those who gather into mobs are not of me; whoever masses against you shall fall because of you” (Isaiah 54:15). A fiery desolation awaits Ariel—the “Altar Hearth” (vv 1-2)—at the hands of Jehovah’s flame—the king of Assyria/Babylon (Isaiah 5:24; 9:18-19; 30:27; 42:25; 47:14; 66:15-16).
The “nations” or “Gentiles” (goyim) who fight against Ariel—in this instance, the “Lion of God” (vv 1-2)—ultimately come away empty. Synonymously paralleled with Mount Zion, Ariel here denotes the righteous of Jehovah’s people or Jehovah’s valiant ones. In other words, the curses of his covenant, as represented by hunger and thirst, now come upon those who violate the rights of Jehovah’s elect. The nations who labor under the dream or delusion conjured up in the night—Jehovah’s Day of Judgment—that they can destroy his righteous people are in the end themselves destroyed (Isaiah 17:12-14).
Jehovah’s people who are here addressed are chronically delusional to the point of slumbering in a deep sleep. Having procrastinated the day of their salvation by buying into dreamlike deceptions and fantasies, they grow “bewildered” and “cry for help” when Jehovah’s judgments come upon them. As a people’s leaders generally reflect the people themselves, so all are spiritually “drunk” and “stagger” instead of walking straight. The prophets and seers—the people’s “eyes” and “heads”—can’t awaken them to spiritual realities because they themselves are intoxicated and asleep (Isaiah 28:7; 56:9-12).
The expression “sum of vision” or “comprehensive vision” (hazut hakkol) signifies all that Jehovah has revealed about the past, present, and future (Isaiah 48:6). It defines an apocalyptic or cosmic vision as seen by Isaiah and others (cf. Daniel 8:15-19; Revelation 1:10). Word links determine that “the sealed book” is the Book of Isaiah (v 18; Isaiah 30:8), besides whatever secondary meanings may apply. That book, which predicts “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), neither the learned nor unlearned have understood (v 24; Isaiah 32:3-4; 41:28; 42:18-20; 44:25; 48:6-8; 52:15; 56:10).
The expression “these people”—which repudiates the covenant formula “my people”—reflects Jehovah’s people’s alienated state. Although they are religious, praying and giving lip service to Jehovah, their piety is superficial. Grounded in human teachings or precepts of men, their religion separates them from him instead bringing them into his presence. When Jehovah intervenes among them at the onset of his Day of Judgment, what their “sages” and “wise men” knew or thought they knew—what their scholars and professors had taught them—Jehovah wonderfully overturns (Isaiah 44:25; 52:15).
Jehovah pronounces a curse on those who live a double standard. His people’s “schemes” or “plans” (‘esa), concocted in private, put them at odds with Jehovah and cause spiritual blindness. Instead of aligning their actions with his desire for his people (Isaiah 40:13; 46:11), they attempt to make Jehovah follow theirs: “Woe to those in conflict with their Maker, mere shards of earthenware pottery! As though the clay were to say to him who molds it, ‘What are you doing? Your hands have no skill for the work!’” (Isaiah 45:9). By pursuing their own agenda, they are their own gods (Isaiah 41:21-24).
When Jehovah intervenes in humanity’s affairs the entire situation of his people changes. A great reversal of circumstances occurs between the righteous and the wicked, including their places of habitation: “I will lay waste mountains and hills and make all their vegetation wither” (Isaiah 42:15); “Wilderness and arid land shall be jubilant; the desert shall rejoice when it blossoms like the crocus” (Isaiah 35:1). As symbolized by their lands, the “fruitfulness” of the wicked is then seen as unfruitful, and what some considered the unfruitfulness of the righteous then appears fruitful (Isaiah 60:13-15).
In Jehovah’s Day of Judgment—at the time Isaiah’s prophecies come to pass—many of Jehovah’s people understand them. Those who were “blind” and “deaf”—his covenant people (Isaiah 42:16-20; 43:8)—then “see” and “hear” (Isaiah 32:3-4; 35:5). Having formerly “put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20), they then “see with their eyes and hear with their ears” (Isaiah 6:10). When Jehovah appoints his servant as “a light to the nations”—“to open eyes that are blind” and to deliver “those in darkness” (Isaiah 42:7; 49:6, 9; cf. 9:2)—humanity’s poor and lowly rejoice in Israel’s Holy One.
At Jehovah’s intervention to restore justice among his people (Isaiah 1:27; 42:1-4), tyrants and scorners “come to nought” and “cease” (Isaiah 16:4-5; 28:22). Faultfinders on the lookout for flaws in others—who, on mere hearsay, judge them guilty—who trip others up in their words to prevent justice being served, are “cut off.” That is, severed from Jehovah, from his covenant blessings, and from being numbered among his people (Isaiah 9:14; 22:25; 48:18-19). While the wicked create opposition that tries the faith and loyalty of the righteous, Jehovah removes them from the earth in his Day of Judgment.
When end-time events occur just as Isaiah had predicted them—as neither the wise nor rash-minded had supposed (v 14; Isaiah 32:4)—many who had “erred in spirit” and “murmured,” who had misjudged Isaiah’s prophecies for what they are, come to “understanding” and receive “instruction.” As Jehovah delivered Abraham from Babylon’s plagues, and as Jacob’s face grew pale no more when he saw his son Joseph alive (Genesis 12:1-13:Genesis 12:1-13:46:30; 46:306:30; Genesis 12:1-13:46:30; 46:306:306:30), so Jehovah delivers Abraham’s descendants from Greater Babylon’s plagues and restores Jacob’s lost tribes from exile (Isaiah 19:25; 41:8-9; 49:5-6).