Isaiah 29:10-12

29:10 For the Lord has poured out on you

a strong urge to sleep deeply. ¹ 

He has shut your eyes (the prophets),

and covered your heads (the seers).

29:11 To you this entire prophetic revelation ²  is like words in a sealed scroll. When they hand it to one who can read ³  and say, “Read this,” he responds, “I can’t, because it is sealed.” 29:12 Or when they hand the scroll to one who can’t read ⁴  and say, “Read this,” he says, “I can’t read.” ⁵ 

Isaiah 29:18-19

29:18 At that time ⁶  the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll,

and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness. ⁷ 

29:19 The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord;

the poor among humankind will take delight ⁸  in the Holy One of Israel. ⁹ 

[29:10]  ¹ tn Heb “a disposition [or “spirit”] of deep sleep.” Through this mixed metaphor (sleep is likened to a liquid which one pours and in turn symbolizes spiritual dullness) the prophet emphasizes that God himself has given the people over to their spiritual insensitivity as a form of judgment.

[29:11]  ² tn Heb “vision” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[29:11]  ³ tn Heb “one who knows a/the scroll.”

[29:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “and if the scroll is handed to one who does not know a scroll.”

[29:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “I do not know a scroll.”

[29:18]  ⁶ tn Or “In that day” (KJV).

[29:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.”

[29:19]  ⁸ tn Or “will rejoice” (NIV, NCV, NLT).

[29:19]  ⁹ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.