Isaiah 29:9
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
ISAIAH 29:9
This verse captures a call to awe and bewilderment: stay, wonder, cry out. The people are described as drunken, not with wine, and staggering, not with strong drink. The imagery suggests a moral or spiritual intoxication—blindness and confusion produced by disobedience or deception. In context, God’s people resist truth, and their leaders misread reality. The phrase "drunken" signals moral confusion rather than literal intoxication. The surrounding passage speaks of deceit, sealed visions, and a people who lack understanding; so these lines heighten the sense of divine judgment that leaves the proud staggering in confusion, unable to grasp or respond to God’s word.
This passage highlights judgment on spiritual blindness and the dangers of false security. It shows that human arrogance—trusting in one's own wisdom or in political power—leads to misperception. The imagery of drunkenness without wine deconstructs confidence and calls for humility before God. The rhetorical stance prepares for the opening of the “sealed book” in the following verses, showing that God’s truth cannot be grasped by those who refuse to heed Him.
For today, this warns against spiritual overconfidence. When we ignore God’s voice or treat His revelation as optional, we become spiritually disoriented. Practical steps: cultivate humble listening, study Scripture with a teachable spirit, and invite wise counsel. Recognize that being influential or educated does not guarantee insight without a posture of dependence on God. In leadership and personal life, create spaces for confession, repentance, and renewal so that truth can be clearly received.
Cross-References: Amos 6:13; Hosea 4:6; Jeremiah 5:21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 1:21