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Isaiah 6:9

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¶ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

And he said {H559}, Go {H3212}, and tell {H559} this people {H5971}, Hear {H8085} ye indeed {H8085}, but understand {H995} not; and see {H7200} ye indeed {H7200}, but perceive {H3045} not.

He said, "Go and tell this people: 'Yes, you hear, but you don't understand. You certainly see, but you don't get the point!'

And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Commentary

Isaiah 6:9 presents a profound and sobering aspect of Isaiah's prophetic commission. Following his awe-inspiring vision of God's holiness and his cleansing, the Lord gives him a difficult message for the people of Judah. This verse, in particular, highlights the spiritual insensitivity and resistance of the nation to divine truth.

Context

This verse is part of the pivotal sixth chapter of Isaiah, which details the prophet's call by God in the year King Uzziah died (around 740 BC). After seeing the Lord high and lifted up, confessing his unworthiness, and being purified, Isaiah hears the divine call: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah responds, "Here am I; send me." Immediately following his eager acceptance, the Lord reveals the challenging nature of his mission. Isaiah is not sent to convert the masses, but rather to prophesy to a people whose hearts have become hardened. This prophecy sets the stage for the coming judgment on Judah due to their persistent idolatry and disobedience, which ultimately led to the Babylonian exile.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Hardening and Insensitivity: The core message is that the people will hear God’s word but deliberately refuse to understand it, and see His works but refuse to perceive their spiritual significance. This isn't about God causing their inability, but rather describing the consequence of their long-standing rebellion and spiritual apathy. Their ears are deaf, and their eyes are blind to divine truth because they have chosen to be so.
  • The Burden of the Prophet: This verse underscores the incredibly difficult task given to Isaiah. He is called to deliver a message that God knows will be rejected, leading to further hardening rather than repentance. This highlights the lonely and often disheartening path of a true prophet.
  • Divine Foreknowledge and Judgment: God, in His omniscience, knows the outcome of Isaiah's ministry. The people's persistent spiritual blindness is a prelude to the judgment that will befall them, as their lack of understanding prevents them from turning back to God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew verbs used for "hear" (shama') and "see" (ra'ah) are paired with negative commands or descriptions of failure to "understand" (bin) and "perceive" (nakar). The repetition and parallelism emphasize the deliberate and persistent nature of the people's spiritual resistance. It’s not merely that they are incapable, but that they are unwilling to truly grasp the spiritual implications of what they are hearing and seeing. This phrase highlights a profound spiritual disconnect: the physical senses are working, but the spiritual comprehension is absent.

Related Scriptures

This prophecy from Isaiah 6:9-10 is one of the most frequently quoted Old Testament passages in the New Testament, illustrating its timeless relevance to spiritual receptivity:

  • Jesus quotes this passage in Matthew 13:14-15 (also Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10) to explain why He spoke in parables to the crowds—to reveal truth to those open to it, while concealing it from those with hardened hearts.
  • Paul cites this passage at the end of his ministry in Rome, in Acts 28:26-27, to explain the Jewish rejection of the Gospel, demonstrating that the spiritual hardening prophesied by Isaiah continued into the apostolic age.
  • For more on the call of Isaiah, see Isaiah 6:1-8.

Practical Application

Isaiah 6:9 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual complacency and deliberate ignorance. It challenges believers today to:

  • Examine Our Hearts: Are we truly open to hearing and understanding God's Word, even when it challenges our comfort zones or calls for repentance? Do we perceive His hand at work in our lives and in the world around us?
  • Guard Against Hardening: Consistent neglect of God's truth, or choosing to ignore conviction, can lead to a gradual hardening of the heart, making us less responsive to the Holy Spirit's promptings.
  • Pray for Spiritual Sight: We should pray for ourselves and others to have ears that truly hear and eyes that truly see God's truth, leading to genuine spiritual transformation and obedience.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 13:14 (90 votes)

    And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

  • Matthew 13:15 (90 votes)

    For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

  • Luke 8:10 (75 votes)

    And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

  • Mark 4:12 (68 votes)

    That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.

  • John 12:40 (57 votes)

    He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

  • Acts 28:26 (50 votes)

    Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

  • Acts 28:27 (50 votes)

    For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.