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Isaiah 59:10

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 59:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “We grope for the wall like the blind; yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among them that are lusty we are as dead men.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

We grope for the wall like the blind; yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among them that are lusty we are as dead men.
Isaiah 59:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 59

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths.
8The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.
9Therefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
10We grope for the wall like the blind; yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among them that are lusty we are as dead men.
11We roar all like bears, and moan sore like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them:
13transgressing and denying Jehovah, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
← Isaiah 59:9Isaiah 59:11 →
← Full Chapter 59 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
“We grope for the wall like the blind, &c.] Who either with their hands, or with a staff in them, feel for the wall to lean against, or to guide them in the way, or into the house, that they may know whereabout they are, and how they should steer their course: and we grope as if we had no eyes: which yet they had, the eyes of their reason and understanding; but which either were not opened, or they made no use of them in searching the Scriptures, to come at the light and knowledge of divine things; and therefore only at most groped after them by the dim light of nature, if thereby they might find them. This is to be understood not of them all, but of many, and of the greatest part: we stumble…”
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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
“grope--fulfilling Moses' threat (Deu 28:29). stumble at noon . . . as . . . night--There is no relaxation of our evils; at the time when we might look for the noon of relief, there is still the night of our calamity. in desolate places--rather, to suit the parallel words "at noonday," in fertile (literally, "fat"; Gen 27:28) fields [GESENIUS] (where all is promising) we are like the dead (who have no hope left them); or, where others are prosperous, we wander about as dead men; true of all unbelievers (Isa 26:10; Luk 15:17).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“We grope for the wall like the blind - A blind man, not being able to see his way, feels along by a wall, a fence, or any other object that will guide him. They were like the blind. They had no distinct views of truth, and they were endeavoring to feel their way along as well as they could. Probably the prophet here alludes to the threatening made by Moses in Deuteronomy 28:28-29, ‘And the Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart; and thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways.’ We stumble at noon-day as in the night - The idea here is, that they were in a state of utter disorder and confusion.…”
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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
“As dead men - He compares their captivity to men dead without hope of recovery. Isaiah 59:11”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“59:10 people without eyes: See 6:10; Deut 28:29.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“grope: Deu 28:29; Job 5:14; Pro 4:19; Jer 13:16; Lam 4:14; Amo 8:9; Joh 11:9, Joh 11:10, Joh 12:35, Joh 12:40; Jo1 2:11 in desolate: Lam 3:6 Isaiah 59:11”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification