King James Version

Isaiah 29:11

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:

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַתְּהִ֨יvathiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לָכֶ֜םlakhemtoלָכֶ֜םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “to”toחָז֣וּתchazutagreementחָזוּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “agreement”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2380a look; hence (figuratively) striking appearance, revelation, or (by implication) compactagreement, notable (one), vision.הַכֹּ֗לhakolthe allכֹּלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the all”, the ordinary formH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).כְּדִבְרֵי֮kedivreas causeדָּבָרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “as cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…הַסֵּ֣פֶרhaseferthe bookסֵפֶרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the book”, the ordinary formH5612properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a bookbill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.הֶֽחָתוּם֒hechatumthe sealחָתַםdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the seal”, a verb used as a describing wordH2856to close up; especially to sealmake an end, mark, seal (up), stop.אֲשֶֽׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יִתְּנ֣וּyitnvgiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “give”, an unfinished actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…אֹת֗וֹotvoobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).יוֹדֵ֥עַyodeaknowיָדַעverb, qal, participle, construct — “know”, a verb used as a describing wordH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…הספרhsfrthe bookסֵפֶרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the book”, the ordinary formH5612properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a bookbill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.סֵ֛פֶרseferbookסֵפֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “book”, the ordinary formH5612properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a bookbill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.לֵאמֹ֖רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…קְרָ֣אqeracallקָרָאverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “call”, a commandH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.נָאnaI beseech theeנָאparticle, exhortation — “I beseech thee”H4994'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunctionI beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.זֶ֑הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…וְאָמַר֙veamarand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אוּכַ֔לukhalbe ableיָכֹלverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be able”, an unfinished actionH3201to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…חָת֖וּםchatumsealחָתַםverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “seal”, a verb used as a describing wordH2856to close up; especially to sealmake an end, mark, seal (up), stop.הֽוּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the vision of all this is become unto you as the words of a writing 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';

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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:

Young’s Literal Translation

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;'

World English Bible

All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed;”

Darby Translation

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.

Douay-Rheims

And the vision of all shall be unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which when they shall deliver to one that is learned, they shall say: Read this: and he shall answer: I cannot, for it is sealed.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And all these things shall be to you as the words of this sealed book, which if they shall give to a learned man, saying, Read this, he shall then say, I cannot read it , for it is sealed.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν τὰ ῥήματα πάντα ταῦτα, ὡς οἱ λόγοι τοῦ βιβλίου τοῦ ἐσφραγισμένου τσύτου, ὃ ἐὰν δῶσιν αὐτὸ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπισταμένῳ γράμματα, λέγοντες, ἀνάγνωθι ταῦτα· καὶ ἐρεῖ, οὐ δύναμαι ἀναγνῶναι, ἐσφράγισται γάρ.