Isaiah 29:9 Meaning and Explanation
“Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jerusalem's leaders are in a stupor—confused and staggering—not from wine but from spiritual blindness and shock.
The Context of Isaiah 29:9
Isaiah indicts Jerusalem's leadership as spiritually incapacitated, unable to perceive God's word or purpose.
What Does Isaiah 29:9 Mean?
Isaiah calls the people to witness the state of their own leaders. These men who are supposed to guide and protect the city are literally stunned, their minds bewildered as if by intoxication. Yet the cause is not alcohol but divine judgment—a spiritual confusion sent by God.
The command to 'stay yourselves and wonder' is almost sarcastic: look at how incapacitated your rulers are, stunned and unable to lead. This sets up what follows: the leaders' blindness to God's word, their inability to read the signs of the times, is itself part of the judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 29:9
What does Isaiah 29:9 mean?
Jerusalem's leaders are in a stupor—confused and staggering—not from wine but from spiritual blindness and shock.
What is the context of Isaiah 29:9?
Isaiah indicts Jerusalem's leadership as spiritually incapacitated, unable to perceive God's word or purpose.