Isaiah

Isaiah 29:13–16

¹³Therefore the Lord said:

“These people draw near to Me with their mouths

and honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.^c

¹⁴Therefore I will again confound these people

with wonder upon wonder.

The wisdom of the wise will vanish,

and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.^d”

¹⁵Woe to those who dig deep

to hide their plans from the LORD.

In darkness they do their works and say,

“Who sees us, and who will know?”

¹⁶You have turned things upside down,

as if the potter were regarded as clay.

Shall what is formed say to him who formed it,

“He did not make me”?^e

Can the pottery say of the potter,

“He has no understanding”?

Footnotes

c 29:13 Hebrew; LXX They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.Cited in Matthew 15:8–9|MAT 15:8-9and Mark 7:6–7
d 29:14 Hebrew; LXX I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the intelligence of the intelligent.Cited in 1 Corinthians 1:19|1CO 1:19
e 29:16 Cited in Romans 9:20|ROM 9:20

Read all of Isaiah 29

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 29:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	יַ֚עַן	ya·‘an	Adverb	H3282 purpose, intention
the Lord	אֲדֹנָ֗י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
These	הַזֶּ֔ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
people	הָעָ֣ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
draw near to Me	נִגַּשׁ֙	nig·gaš	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
with their mouths	בְּפִ֤יו	bə·p̄îw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
and honor Me	כִּבְּד֔וּנִי	kib·bə·ḏū·nî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common singular	H3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
with their lips	וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙	ū·ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯāw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H8193 lip, speech, edge
but their hearts	וְלִבּ֖וֹ	wə·lib·bōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
are far	רִחַ֣ק	ri·ḥaq	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from Me	מִמֶּ֑נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
Their worship	יִרְאָתָם֙	yir·’ā·ṯām	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H3374 fear
of Me	אֹתִ֔י	’ō·ṯî	Direct object marker; first person common singular	H853 mark of the accusative
is but	וַתְּהִ֤י	wat·tə·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
rules	מִצְוַ֥ת	miṣ·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H4687 commandment
taught	מְלֻמָּדָֽה׃	mə·lum·mā·ḏāh	Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular	H3925 exercise in, learn
by men	אֲנָשִׁ֖ים	’ă·nā·šîm	Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind

Isaiah 29:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	לָכֵ֗ן	lā·ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
I will again	יוֹסִ֛ף	yō·w·sip̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3254 add
confound	לְהַפְלִ֥יא	lə·hap̄·lî	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
these	הַזֶּ֖ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
people	הָֽעָם־	hā·‘ām-	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
with wonder	הַפְלֵ֣א	hap̄·lê	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
upon wonder	וָפֶ֑לֶא	wā·p̄e·le	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6382 wonder
The wisdom	חָכְמַ֣ת	ḥā·ḵə·maṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2451 wisdom
of the wise	חֲכָמָ֔יו	ḥă·ḵā·māw	Adjective - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H2450 wise
will vanish	וְאָֽבְדָה֙	wə·’ā·ḇə·ḏāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H6 perish
and the intelligence	וּבִינַ֥ת	ū·ḇî·naṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H998 understanding
of the intelligent	נְבֹנָ֖יו	nə·ḇō·nāw	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H995 discern
will be hidden	תִּסְתַּתָּֽר׃ס	tis·tat·tār	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5641 hide, conceal

Isaiah 29:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Woe	ה֛וֹי	hō·w	Interjection	H1945 Ah, Alas, Ha
to those who dig deep	הַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥ים	ham·ma·‘ă·mî·qîm	Article; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H6009 be deep
to hide	לַסְתִּ֣ר	las·tir	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5641 hide, conceal
their plans	עֵצָ֑ה	‘ê·ṣāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6098 counsel, advice
from the LORD	מֵֽיהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
In darkness	בְמַחְשָׁךְ֙	ḇə·maḥ·šāḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H4285 dark place
they do their works	מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם	ma·‘ă·śê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4639 deed, work
and say	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Who	מִ֥י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
sees us	רֹאֵ֖נוּ	rō·’ê·nū	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H7200 see
and who	וּמִ֥י	ū·mî	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4310 who?
will know	יוֹדְעֵֽנוּ׃	yō·wḏ·‘ê·nū	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H3045 know

Isaiah 29:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You have turned things upside down	הַ֨פְכְּכֶ֔ם	hap̄·kə·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H2017 the contrary, contrariness, perversity
as if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the potter	הַיֹּצֵ֖ר	hay·yō·ṣêr	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3335 form, fashion
were regarded	יֵֽחָשֵׁ֑ב	yê·ḥā·šêḇ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2803 think, account
as clay	כְּחֹ֥מֶר	kə·ḥō·mer	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2563 cement, mortar, clay
Shall	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
what is formed	מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה	ma·‘ă·śeh	Noun - masculine singular	H4639 deed, work
say	יֹאמַ֨ר	yō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to him who formed it	לְעֹשֵׂ֙הוּ֙	lə·‘ō·śê·hū	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
He did not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
make me	עָשָׂ֔נִי	‘ā·śā·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6213 do, make
Can the pottery	וְיֵ֛צֶר	wə·yê·ṣer	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3336 form, framing, purpose
say	אָמַ֥ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
of the potter	לְיוֹצְר֖וֹ	lə·yō·wṣ·rōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3335 form, fashion
He has no	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
understanding	הֵבִֽין׃	hê·ḇîn	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H995 discern