Isaiah 29:15

KJV1611 – Modern English

Woe to them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

ה֛וֹי הַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥ים מֵֽיהוָ֖ה לַסְתִּ֣ר עֵצָ֑ה וְהָיָ֤ה בְמַחְשָׁךְ֙ מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י רֹאֵ֖נוּ וּמִ֥י יוֹדְעֵֽנוּ

Transliteration

Hôy ha-maʿămîqîm from-YHWH to-lastîr ʿēṣāh and-hāyāh in-maḥšāḵ maʿăśêhem and-yōʾmrû who rōʾēnû and-who yôdĕʿēnû

Grammar Details

• *Hôy*: interjection - woe
• *ha-maʿămîqîm*: definite article + verb, hiphil participle, masculine plural - the ones making deep/hiding
• *mē-YHWH*: preposition min + proper noun - from the LORD
• *la-stîr*: preposition lamed + verb, hiphil infinitive construct - to hide
• *ʿēṣāh*: noun, feminine singular - counsel/plan
• *wĕ-hāyāh*: conjunction waw + verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - and is
• *ḇĕ-maḥšāḵ*: preposition beth + noun, masculine singular - in darkness
• *maʿăśêhem*: noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their deeds
• *wayyōʾmrû*: conjunction waw + verb, qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd person masculine plural - and they say
• *mî*: interrogative pronoun - who
• *rōʾēnû*: verb, qal participle, masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix - sees us
• *ū-mî*: conjunction waw + interrogative pronoun - and who
• *yôdĕʿēnû*: verb, qal participle, masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix - knows us

Word Meanings

• *maʿămîqîm*: ones making deep/hiding deeply/concealing
• *lastîr*: to hide/conceal/cover
• *ʿēṣāh*: counsel/plan/advice
• *maḥšāḵ*: darkness/obscurity/secrecy
• *maʿăśêhem*: their deeds/actions/works
• *rōʾēnû*: sees us/perceives us/observes us
• *yôdĕʿēnû*: knows us/recognizes us/is aware of us

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who knows us?'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Wo be vnto them that seke so depe, to hyde their ymaginacion before the LORDE, which rehearce their coucels in ye darknes, and saye: who seith vs, or who knoweth vs?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Wo vnto them that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lorde: for their workes are in darkenes, and they say, Who seeth vs? and who knoweth vs?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Wo vnto them that kepe secrete their thoughtes, to hide their counsell from the Lorde, and to do their workes in darknesse, saying: Who seeth vs? and who knoweth vs?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Woe to those who hide deep their counsel from Yahweh, and whose works are in the dark, and who say, Who sees us? and who knows us?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Wo `to' those going deep from Jehovah to hide counsel, And whose works have been in darkness. And they say, `Who is seeing us? And who is knowing us?'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Cursed are those who go deep to keep their designs secret from the Lord, and whose works are in the dark, and who say, Who sees us? and who has knowledge of our acts?

• World English Bible (2000)

  Woe to those who deeply hide their counsel from Yahweh, and whose works are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us?" and "Who knows us?"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Those who try to hide their plans from the LORD are as good as dead, who do their work in secret and boast,“Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?”

Referenced Verses

• Ezek 8:12 : 12 Then he said to me, Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the earth.
• Isa 30:1 : 1 Woe to the rebellious children, says the LORD, that seek counsel, but not from me; and that make a covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
• Isa 47:10 : 10 For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and your knowledge have perverted you; and you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is none else besides me.'
• Mal 2:17 : 17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, How have we wearied him? When you say, Everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them; or, Where is the God of justice?
• Ps 10:11-13 : 11 He has said in his heart, God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see it. 12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand; do not forget the humble. 13 Why does the wicked despise God? He has said in his heart, You will not require it.
• Isa 28:15 : 15 Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we in agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hidden ourselves:
• Isa 28:17 : 17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
• Job 22:13-14 : 13 And you say, 'How does God know? Can He judge through the dense cloud? 14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, so that He does not see; and He walks on the circuit of heaven.'
• Job 24:13-17 : 13 They are among those who rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths. 14 The murderer, rising with the light, kills the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief. 15 The eye of the adulterer waits for twilight, saying, No eye shall see me, and disguises his face. 16 In the dark they break into houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime; they do not know the light. 17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death; if one knows them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
• Job 34:22 : 22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
• Ps 59:7 : 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouths; swords are in their lips, for who, they say, hears?
• Ps 64:5-6 : 5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, Who shall see them? 6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search; the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
• Ps 73:11 : 11 And they say, How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
• Ps 94:7-9 : 7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 8 Understand, you senseless among the people: and you fools, when will you be wise? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
• Ps 139:1-8 : 1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
• Isa 5:18-19 : 18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if with a cart rope: 19 Who say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!
• Luke 12:1-3 : 1 Meanwhile, when there was gathered together a vast multitude of people, so much that they trampled one upon another, he began to say to his disciples first, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hidden that shall not be known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have spoken in darkness will be heard in the light; and what you have spoken in the ear in closets will be proclaimed upon the housetops.
• John 3:19 : 19 This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
• 1 Cor 4:5 : 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each person will receive praise from God.
• 2 Cor 4:2 : 2 But have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
• Rev 2:23 : 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
• Isa 57:12 : 12 I will declare your righteousness and your works; for they shall not profit you.
• Jer 23:24 : 24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.
• Ezek 9:9 : 9 Then he said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD has forsaken the earth, and the LORD does not see.
• Zeph 1:12 : 12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency: that say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will He do evil.'