Isaiah 29:12
New International Version
Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.”

New Living Translation
When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.”

English Standard Version
And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

Berean Standard Bible
Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.”

King James Bible
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

New King James Version
Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate.”

New American Standard Bible
Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”

NASB 1995
Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”

NASB 1977
Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the book will be given to the one who does not know how to read a book, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I do not know how to read a book.”

Amplified Bible
Then the book will be given to the one who cannot read, saying, “Read this, please.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”

Christian Standard Bible
And if the document is given to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it, he will say, “I can’t read.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And if the document is given to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it, he will say, “I can’t read.”

American Standard Version
and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he shall give the scroll to him who does not know the writing, and they shall say to him: "Read this”, and he shall say, "I do not know the writing"

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And this book shall be given into the hands of a man that is unlearned, and one shall say to him, Read this; and he shall say, I am not learned.

Contemporary English Version
Others say, "We can't read it, because we don't know how to read."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the book shall be given to one that knoweth no letters, and it shall be said to him: Read: and he shall answer: I know no letters.

English Revised Version
and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then you give the book to someone who can't read, saying, "Please read this." He answers, "I can't read."

Good News Translation
If you give it to someone who can't read and ask him to read it to you, he will answer that he doesn't know how.

International Standard Version
Or when they give the book to someone who cannot read, and say, 'Read this, please,' he answers, 'I don't know how to read.'"

JPS Tanakh 1917
and the writing is delivered to him that is not learned, saying: 'Read this, I pray thee'; and he saith: 'I am not learned.'

Literal Standard Version
And the scroll is given to him who has not known scrolls, | Saying, “Please read this,” | And he has said, “I have not known scrolls.”

Majority Standard Bible
Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.”

New American Bible
When the scroll is handed to one who cannot read, with the request, “Read this,” the reply is, “I cannot read.”

NET Bible
Or when they hand the scroll to one who can't read and say, "Read this," he says, "I can't read."

New Revised Standard Version
And if it is given to those who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” they say, “We cannot read.”

New Heart English Bible
and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, "Read this, please;" and he says, "I can't read."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

World English Bible
and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t read.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the book is given to him who hath not known books, Saying, 'Read this, we pray thee,' And he hath said, 'I have not known books.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woe to the City of David
11And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” 12Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.” 13Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.…

Cross References
Isaiah 8:16
Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.

Isaiah 29:11
And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, "I cannot, because it is sealed."

Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: "These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.


Treasury of Scripture

And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he said, I am not learned.

I am not

Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

Isaiah 28:12,13
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear…

Jeremiah 5:4
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

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Book Books Delivered Educated Illiterate Learned Please Read Scroll Someone Writing
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Book Books Delivered Educated Illiterate Learned Please Read Scroll Someone Writing
Isaiah 29
1. God's heavy judgment upon Jerusalem
7. The insatiableness of her enemies
9. The senselessness
13. And deep hypocrisy of the people
17. A promise of sanctification to the godly














Verse 12. - Him that is not learned; i.e. "that cannot read writing." Even in our Lord's day the ordinary Jew was not taught to read and write. Hence the surprise of the rulers at his teaching the people out of the Law (John 7:15, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?").

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Or if the scroll
הַסֵּ֗פֶר (has·sê·p̄er)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

is given
וְנִתַּ֣ן (wə·nit·tan)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to
עַל֩ (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

one who
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

is not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

able to read,
יָדַ֥ע (yā·ḏa‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

he will say,
וְאָמַ֕ר (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I cannot read.”
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 29:12 And the book is delivered to one (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 29:11
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