The Meaning of Isaiah 29:14 Explained

Isaiah 29:14

KJV: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

YLT: Therefore, lo, I am adding to do wonderfully with this people, A wonder, and a marvel, And perished hath the wisdom of its wise ones, And the understanding of its intelligent ones hideth itself.'

Darby: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do marvellously with this people, to do marvellously, even with wonder, and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent ones shall be hid.

ASV: therefore, 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore, behold, I will proceed  to do a marvellous work  among this people,  [even] a marvellous work  and a wonder:  for the wisdom  of their wise  [men] shall perish,  and the understanding  of their prudent  [men] shall be hid. 

What does Isaiah 29:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Therefore He would again deal with them in a way that would cause others to marvel, as He had done in the past when they sank to this level. Their wise men would not be able to view life from God"s perspective, and their discerning men would not be able to see through things to the real issues (cf. Isaiah 28:29). Inability to see would be their punishment for choosing not to see (cf. Isaiah 5:21; Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 26:7-10; 1 Corinthians 1:19).

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 29

1  God's heavy judgment upon Jerusalem
7  The insatiableness of her enemies
9  The senselessness
13  And deep hypocrisy of the people
17  A promise of sanctification to the godly

What do the individual words in Isaiah 29:14 mean?

Therefore behold I will again do a marvelous work among Among people this a marvelous work and a wonder for shall perish the wisdom of their wise [men] and the understanding of their prudent [men] shall be hidden -
לָכֵ֗ן הִנְנִ֥י יוֹסִ֛ף לְהַפְלִ֥יא אֶת־ הָֽעָם־ הַזֶּ֖ה הַפְלֵ֣א וָפֶ֑לֶא וְאָֽבְדָה֙ חָכְמַ֣ת חֲכָמָ֔יו וּבִינַ֥ת נְבֹנָ֖יו תִּסְתַּתָּֽר ס

הִנְנִ֥י  behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
יוֹסִ֛ף  will  again 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
לְהַפְלִ֥יא  do  a  marvelous  work 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
הָֽעָם־  Among  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הַפְלֵ֣א  a  marvelous  work 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
וָפֶ֑לֶא  and  a  wonder 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּלֶא  
Sense: wonder, marvel.
וְאָֽבְדָה֙  for  shall  perish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
חָכְמַ֣ת  the  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
חֲכָמָ֔יו  of  their  wise  [men] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וּבִינַ֥ת  and  the  understanding 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בִּינָה  
Sense: understanding, discernment.
נְבֹנָ֖יו  of  their  prudent  [men] 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
תִּסְתַּתָּֽר  shall  be  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation