Isaiah 29:9, 10

Isaiah 29:9

Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

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

b. YLT: Tarry and wonder, look ye, yea, look, Be drunk, and not with wine, Stagger, and not with strong drink.

c. Classic Amplified: Stop and wonder [at this prophecy, if you choose, whether you understand it or not; soon you will witness the actual event] and be confounded [reluctantly]! Blind yourselves [now, if you choose; take your pleasure] and then be blinded [at the actual occurrence]. They are drunk, but not from wine; they stagger, but not from strong drink [but from spiritual stupor].

d. Septuagint: Faint ye, and be amazed, and be overpowered, not with strong drink nor with wine. 

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Ponder it and be astonished, they have been utterly blinded: they were drunk; but not from wine; they staggered, but not from liquor.

1. “Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry…”

a. Stay [yourselves] [Strong: 4102 mâhahh, maw-hah'; apparently a denominative from H4100; properly, to question or hesitate, i.e. (by implication) to be reluctant:—delay, linger, stay selves, tarry.]

b. [and] wonder [Strong: 8539 tâmahh, taw-mah'; a primitive root; to be in consternation:—be amazed, be astonished, marvel(-lously), wonder.]

c. cry [ye out] [Strong: 8173 shâʻaʻ, shaw-ah'; a primitive root; (in a good acceptation) to look upon (with complacency), i.e. fondle, please or amuse (self); (in a bad one) to look about (in dismay), i.e. stare:—cry (out) (by confusion with H7768), dandle, delight (self), play, shut.]

d. [and] cry [Strong: 8173 shâʻaʻ, shaw-ah'; a primitive root; (in a good acceptation) to look upon (with complacency), i.e. fondle, please or amuse (self); (in a bad one) to look about (in dismay), i.e. stare:—cry (out) (by confusion with H7768), dandle, delight (self), play, shut.]

2.  “...they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.”

a. [they are] drunken [Strong: 7937 shâkar, shaw-kar'; a primitive root; to become tipsy; in a qualified sense, to satiate with a stimulating drink or (figuratively) influence:—(be filled with) drink (abundantly), (be, make) drunk(-en), be merry. (Superlative of H8248.)]

b. [but] not [Strong: 3808  lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. [with] wine [Strong: 3196 yayin, yah'-yin; from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:—banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).]

d. [they] stagger [Strong: 5128 nûwaʻ, noo'-ah; a primitive root; to waver, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (as subjoined):—continually, fugitive, × make, to (go) up and down, be gone away, (be) move(-able, -d), be promoted, reel, remove, scatter, set, shake, sift, stagger, to and fro, be vagabond, wag, (make) wander (up and down).]

e. [but] not [Strong: 3808  lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

f.  [with] strong drink [Strong: 7941 shêkâr, shay-kawr'; from H7937; an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor:—strong drink, drunkard, strong wine.]

1). These people behaved as if they were drunk, they staggered around. But as we will see they are not drunk. 

Isaiah 29:10

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.

a. ASV: For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.

b. YLT: For poured out on you hath Jehovah a spirit of deep sleep, And He closeth your eyes -- the prophets, And your heads -- the seers -- He covered.

c. Classic Amplified: For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep. And He has closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, He has covered and muffled.

d. Septuagint: For the Lord has made you to drink a spirit of deep sleep; and he shall close their eyes, and [the eyes] of their prophets and of their rulers, who see secret things.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: For HASHEM has poured upon you a spirit of deep sleep and He has closed your eyes: He has covered the [false] prophets and your chiefs, the seers.

1. “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes…”

a. For [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. [hath] poured out [Strong: 5258 nâçak, naw-sak'; a primitive root; to pour out, especially a libation, or to cast (metal); by analogy, to anoint a king:—cover, melt, offer, (cause to) pour (out), set (up).]

d. upon [you] [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

e. [the] spirit [Strong: 7307 rûwach, roo'-akh; from H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):—air, anger, blast, breath, × cool, courage, mind, × quarter, × side, spirit(-ual), tempest, × vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).]

f. [of] deep sleep [Strong: 8639 tardêmâh, tar-day-maw'; from H7290; a lethargy or (by implication) trance:—deep sleep.]

g. [and hath] closed [Strong: 6105 ʻâtsam, aw-tsam'; a primitive root; also denominatively (from H6106) to bind fast, i.e. close (the eyes); intransitively, to be (causatively, make) powerful or numerous; to crunch the bones:—break the bones, close, be great, be increased, be (wax) mighty(-ier), be more, shut, be(-come, make) strong(-er).]

h. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

i. [your] eyes [Strong: 5869 ʻayin, ah'-yin; probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):—affliction, outward appearance, before, think best, colour, conceit, be content, countenance, displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), × him, humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), × me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, regard, resemblance, sight, × thee, × them, + think, × us, well, × you(-rselves).]

j. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

1). These verses are quoted by the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans concerning the blindness of Israel.

a). Romans 11:7, 8 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

2). Before anyone begins to blame God for these and other passages inferring that God in his sovereign will caused Israel to be unable to see and therefore can’t help but be disobedient, we need to look at some other passages. For instance, similar language is used by the Prophet Isaiah when discussing Israel’s blindness.

a). Isaiah 6:9, 10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

3). At first glance it looks like God is a sadistic puppeteer and Israel cannot help but be disobedient. But Jesus quoted these same verses and used a slightly different wording that gives an entirely different perspective.

a). Matthew 13:13-15 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

4). Their own disobedience caused their own inability to see, their own inability to hear and their own inability to understand. The Prophet Zechariah confirms it.

a). Zechariah 7:11, 12 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

7:12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.

5). When the first martyr Stephen was stoned those who carried out his execution refused to hear any more of what he said by 

a). Acts 7:57, 58 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

4). We as believers who have a free will, we have the responsibility to protect our hearts from sin because sin will harden our heart. It is not God’s fault that anyone ends up with a hard heart, it is ours. The end result is a hard heart and a loss of spiritual senses

a). Hebrews 3:12, 13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

b). Hebrews 5:10-14 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

c). When we fail to walk in obedience to the light that is revealed to us we harden our hearts and lose our spiritual senses. It is a condition similar to drunkenness from alcohol, strong drink.

2. “...the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.”

a. [the] prophets [Strong: 5030 nâbîyʼ, naw-bee'; from H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:—prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.]

b. and [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

c. [your] rulers [Strong: 7218 rôʼsh, roshe; from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.):—band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, × every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), × lead, × poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.]

d. [the] seers [Strong: 2374 chôzeh, kho-zeh'; active participle of H2372; a beholder in vision; also a compact (as looked upon with approval):—agreement, prophet, see that, seer, (star-) gazer.]

e. [hath he] covered [Strong: 3680 kâçâh, kaw-saw'; a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):—clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm.]