Isaiah 59:10

Authorized King James Version

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה
We grope
to feel about
#2
כַֽעִוְרִים֙
like the blind
blind (literally or figuratively)
#3
קִ֔יר
for the wall
a wall (as built in a trench)
#4
וּכְאֵ֥ין
a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle
#5
עֵינַ֖יִם
as if we had no eyes
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
#6
נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה
We grope
to feel about
#7
כָּשַׁ֤לְנוּ
we stumble
to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall
#8
בַֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙
at noonday
a light (i.e., window); dual double light, i.e., noon
#9
כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁף
as in the night
properly, a breeze, i.e., (by implication) dusk (when the evening breeze prevails)
#10
בָּאַשְׁמַנִּ֖ים
we are in desolate
a fat field
#11
כַּמֵּתִֽים׃
places as dead
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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