The big picture
Isaiah 29 opens in verse 1 with “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 12 with “And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee…”, and closes in verse 24 with “They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, Ariel, multitude, work, book. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 24Isaiah 29:1-8
1–8: Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year…
Isaiah 29:1–8 opens with “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill…” and reaches “It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 29 develops its own movement around LORD, Ariel, multitude, work, book, with particular weight carried by Ariel, multitude, dust.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.” Naming Ariel and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against…” The line’s distinctive content terms include camp, forts, mount. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 29:1-8
King James Version1Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
2Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
3And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
4And 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.
5Moreover 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.
6Thou 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.
7And 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.
8It 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.
Isaiah 29:9-16
9–16: Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but…
Isaiah 29:9–16 opens with “Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they…” and reaches “Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 29 develops its own movement around LORD, Ariel, multitude, work, book, with particular weight carried by learned, LORD, work.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with…” Naming Stay keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Isaiah 29:9-16
King James Version9Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10For 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.
11And 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:
12And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
13Wherefore 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:
14Therefore, 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.
15Woe 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?
16Surely 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?
Isaiah 29:17-24
17–24: Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a…
Isaiah 29:17–24 opens with “Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the…” and reaches “They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 29 develops its own movement around LORD, Ariel, multitude, work, book, with particular weight carried by Jacob, field, fruitful.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD , and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 29:17-24
King James Version17Is 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?
18And 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.
19The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD , and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21That 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.
22Therefore 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.
23But 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.
24They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 29:1 begins with “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 29:14 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Isaiah 29:24 leaves the reader with “They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Ariel, multitude, work, book, dust help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Laban's deception echo Jacob's earlier conduct?
An older and younger sibling are exchanged through a disguised identity, with family custom used to justify the outcome.
What changes when the narrator follows Leah?
Readers hear the pain of the less-loved woman and God's attention to her.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.