Commentary on Isaiah 29:15-16 in Context
Isaiah 29:15-16 pronounces a woe upon those who attempt to hide their plans from the Lord and then deny His knowledge or power. The passage reads in the ESV:
"Woe to those who hide deep from the Lord their counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, 'Who sees us? Who knows us?' You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, 'He did not make me'; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'?"
This passage is part of a larger section in Isaiah (chapters 28-33) that contains a series of "woes" directed at Judah and Jerusalem for their spiritual blindness, hypocrisy, and reliance on foreign alliances rather than on God [3]. Specifically, Isaiah 29:15-24 describes the spiritual dullness of the people, their misplaced trust, and God's eventual intervention [3]. The woe beginning in verse 15 extends through verse 21, culminating in a prophecy of salvation in verses 22-24 [3].
The core issue addressed in verses 15-16 is the people's attempt to conceal their intentions and actions from God, believing they can operate in secrecy [5]. The phrase "hide deep from the Lord their counsel" suggests a deliberate effort to keep their plans hidden, as if God were unaware or unable to perceive them [1]. This attitude is further emphasized by their rhetorical questions, "Who sees us? Who knows us?" [1]. John Calvin interprets this as a form of self-deception, where individuals imagine they can escape God's notice, even though His knowledge is infinite [6].
Verse 16 employs a powerful metaphor of the potter and the clay to rebuke this rebellious attitude. The people are accused of "turning things upside down," implying a reversal of the natural order and a denial of God's sovereignty as Creator [4]. The created (clay) presumes to question or deny the understanding and agency of the Creator (potter) [2]. This imagery underscores the absurdity of humanity questioning God's knowledge or power, comparing it to a created object denying its maker or asserting the maker's lack of understanding [8]. This metaphor highlights the profound disrespect and theological error inherent in their actions and thoughts.
The passage functions as a strong condemnation of human arrogance and self-sufficiency, reminding the audience of God's omnipotence and omniscience. It sets the stage for the subsequent verses, which promise a future transformation where the deaf will hear and the blind will see, indicating a spiritual awakening and a return to understanding God's ways [7].
Sources
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Isaiah 29:15 cross-references: 2 Samuel 11:27, 2 Kings 17:9, Job 22:13, Job 24:13, Job 34:22, Psalms 10:11, Psalms 59:7, Psalms 64:5, Psalms 73:11, Psalms 94:7, Psalms 139:1, Isaiah 5:18, Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:17, Isaiah 30:1, Isaiah 47:10, Isaiah 57:12, Jeremiah 23:24, Ezekiel 8:12, Ezekiel 9:9, Zephaniah 1:12, Malachi 2:17, Luke 12:1, John 3:19, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Revelation 2:23”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 29.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 1:30 3:5 3:22 10:14 11:31 12:3 12:17 13:15 13:16 17:7 17:8 18:20 18:21 19:5 19:23 19:24 19:37 20:3 20:16 20:17 22:17 22:17 25:25-26 31:19 31:30 32:28 34:7 36:1 36:8 36:9 41:50-52 48:16 Exodus 1:12 1:14 3:6 4:22 8:15 9:34 10:21 10:23 12:23 12:51 12:51 12:51 13:21 13:21-22 14:21 14:27-28 14:29 15:1 19:6 19:20 20:5 20:5 21:8 21:8 21:8 22:22-24 22:23 23:8 23:8 23:19 23:32 25:21-22 29:42 32:32 33:9 34:6 34:7 34:26 Leviticus 1:11 10:1 19:18 23:40 26 26:18 26:18 26:21 26:21 26:24 26:26 26:28 26:31 26:36 26:”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 29:22: 29:22-24 The prophecy of woe, which began at 29:15, now ends with a prophecy of salvation. 29:22 Abraham was the father of all Israel (see Gen 12:1-3; see also Gal 3:29). • Rescued from human abuse and God’s judgment, the people would no longer be ashamed; their disgrace resulted from the apparent failure of what they had trusted (see Ps 71:1; 1 Pet 2:6).”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 23.3: 10:23 12:23 12:51 12:51 12:51 13:21 13:21 13:22 14:21 14:27 14:28 14:29 15:1 19:6 19:20 20:5 20:5 21:8 21:8 21:8 22:22-24 22:23 23:8 23:8 23:19 23:32 25:21 25:22 29:42 32:32 33:9 34:6 34:7 34:26 Leviticus 1:11 10:1 19:18 23:40 26 26:18 26:18 26:21 26:21 26:24 26:26 26:28 26:31 26:36 26:36 Numbers 12:6 14:14 21:9 23:19 23:23 33:52 33:55 Deuteronomy 1:33 1:44 4:6 4:7 4:24 5:9 6:5 7:16 8:2 9:3 10:12 10:20 12:5 12:6 12:7 12:12 12:13 12:18 13:5 15:9 16:19 17:16 18:10-15 18:15 18:20 19:19 19:21 23:18 24:15 28 28:11 28:64 29:5 29:19 30:3 30:4 30:4 3”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 29:15: Woe unto them that purpose to hide counsel from before the Lord, that their works may be in darkness, and they say, None sees us, and none takes cognizance of our works.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 33: ; Ps. 91:1 ; Zech. 2:8 ; Isaiah 26:1 ; 29:15 “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” “Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you.” “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” “He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” “We have a strong city: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.” “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of he”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 29:18: And at that time those that are like the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 23.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 1:30 3:5 3:22 10:14 11:31 12:3 12:17 13:15 13:16 17:7 17:8 18:20 18:21 19:5 19:23 19:24 19:37 20:3 20:16 20:17 22:17 22:17 25:25-26 31:19 31:30 32:28 34:7 36:1 36:8 36:9 41:50-52 48:16 Exodus 1:12 1:14 3:6 4:22 8:15 9:34 10:21 10:23 12:23 12:51 12:51 12:51 13:21 13:21-22 14:21 14:27-28 14:29 15:1 19:6 19:20 20:5 20:5 21:8 21:8 21:8 22:22-24 22:23 23:8 23:8 23:19 23:32 25:21-22 29:42 32:32 33:9 34:6 34:7 34:26 Leviticus 1:11 10:1 19:18 23:40 26 26:18 26:18 26:21 26:21 26:24 26:26 26:28 26:31 26:36 26:”