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Isaiah 29:12

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 29:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned.
Isaiah 29:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 29

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
9Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10For 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.
11And all vision 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.
13And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh [unto me], and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught [them];
14therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
15Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
← Isaiah 29:11Isaiah 29:13 →
← Full Chapter 29 Isaiah Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, &c.] Or that knows not a book or letters, as before, and so consequently cannot read, having never been put to school, or learned to read: saying, Read this, I pray thee; or “now”f580, at once, immediately: and he saith, I am not learned; he does not excuse himself on account of its being sealed, but on account of his want of learning; which shows the former was but an excuse. In short, the sum of it is this, that neither the learned nor unlearned, among the Jews, cared to read their Bibles, or to search the Scriptures, and the prophecies in them, concerning the Messiah, and that neither of them understood them; these things were hid from…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The unlearned succeed no better than the learned, not from want of human learning, as they fancy, but from not having the teaching of God (Isa 54:13; Jer 31:34; Joh 6:45; Co1 2:7-10; Jo1 2:20).”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Of all - Of all, your prophets. As a book - In which no man can read, while it is sealed up, as books then sometimes were, being made in the form of rolls. Delivered - Unsealed and opened. Isaiah 29:13”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I am not: Isa 29:18, Isa 28:12, Isa 28:13; Jer 5:4; Hos 4:6; Joh 7:15, Joh 7:16 Isaiah 29:13”
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Related study paths

Read Isaiah 29 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification