Isaiah 29:9
7 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.
8 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.
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
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.
11 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:
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.
- KJV
- Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
- WEB
- Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
- 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.
- DARBY
- Be astounded and astonished, blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
- BLB
- Pause and be astonished, blind yourselves and be blinded; be drunk, not [from] wine; stagger, not from strong drink!
- ÅB
- Stirr på hverandre og bli forvirret! Stirr dere blinde, og vær blinde! Dere er drukne, men ikke av vin; dere raver, men ikke av sterk drikk.
- OTB
- Bli forbløffet og forundret; gjør dere blinde og vær synsløse; de er drukne, men ikke av vin, de sjangler, men ikke av sterk drikk.
- B1930
- Stirr på hverandre og bli forvirret! Stirr eder blinde, og vær blinde! I er drukne, men ikke av vin; I raver, men ikke av sterk drikk.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 51:21–22
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Read in contextRevelation 17:6
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Read in contextIsaiah 19:14
The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Read in contextIsaiah 33:13–14
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Read in contextIsaiah 49:26
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Read in contextIsaiah 28:7–8
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Read in contextMark 14:41
And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Read in contextJeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
Read in context