The Meaning of Isaiah 29:11 Explained

Isaiah 29:11

KJV: 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:

YLT: And the vision of the whole is to you, As words of the sealed book, That they give unto one knowing books, Saying, 'Read this, we pray thee,' And he hath said, 'I am not able, for it is sealed;'

Darby: And the whole vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which they give to one that can read, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed.

ASV: And 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Isaiah 29:11 Mean?

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 29:11 mean?

And has become to you the vision of whole like the words a book that is sealed which [men] deliver - to one who is literate - learned saying Read please this and he says cannot I for [is] sealed it
וַתְּהִ֨י לָכֶ֜ם חָז֣וּת הַכֹּ֗ל כְּדִבְרֵי֮ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הֶֽחָתוּם֒ אֲשֶֽׁר־ יִתְּנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־ יוֹדֵ֥עַ [הספר] (סֵ֛פֶר) לֵאמֹ֖ר קְרָ֣א נָא־ זֶ֑ה וְאָמַר֙ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֔ל כִּ֥י חָת֖וּם הֽוּא

וַתְּהִ֨י  And  has  become 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶ֜ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
חָז֣וּת  the  vision 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חָזוּת  
Sense: vision, conspicuousness.
הַכֹּ֗ל  of  whole 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
כְּדִבְרֵי֮  like  the  words 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַסֵּ֣פֶר  a  book 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
הֶֽחָתוּם֒  that  is  sealed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָתַם  
Sense: to seal, seal up, affix a seal.
יִתְּנ֣וּ  [men]  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֹת֗וֹ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יוֹדֵ֥עַ  one  who  is  literate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
[הספר]  - 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
(סֵ֛פֶר)  learned 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
לֵאמֹ֖ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
קְרָ֣א  Read 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
נָא־  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
זֶ֑ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְאָמַר֙  and  he  says 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֹ֣א  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָת֖וּם  [is]  sealed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָתַם  
Sense: to seal, seal up, affix a seal.