Isaiah 29:4
New International Version
Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper.

New Living Translation
Then deep from the earth you will speak; from low in the dust your words will come. Your voice will whisper from the ground like a ghost conjured up from the grave.

English Standard Version
And you will be brought low; from the earth you shall speak, and from the dust your speech will be bowed down; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and from the dust your speech shall whisper.

Berean Standard Bible
You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust.

King James Bible
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

New King James Version
You shall be brought down, You shall speak out of the ground; Your speech shall be low, out of the dust; Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; And your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

New American Standard Bible
Then you will be brought low; From the earth you will speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the ground, And your speech will whisper from the dust.

NASB 1995
Then you will be brought low; From the earth you will speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the ground, And your speech will whisper from the dust.

NASB 1977
Then you shall be brought low; From the earth you shall speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate, Your words shall come. Your voice shall also be like that of a spirit from the ground, And your speech shall whisper from the dust.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then you will be brought low; From the earth you will speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the ground, And your speech will whisper from the dust.

Amplified Bible
Then you [Jerusalem] will be brought low, You will speak from the earth, And from the dust where you lie face down Your muffled words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the earth [like one produced by a medium], And your speech will whisper and squeak from the dust.

Christian Standard Bible
You will be brought down; you will speak from the ground, and your words will come from low in the dust. Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper from the dust.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You will be brought down; you will speak from the ground, and your words will come from low in the dust. Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper from the dust.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

Contemporary English Version
From deep in the earth, you will call out for help with only a faint whisper.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When you have fallen, you will speak as you lie on the ground. Your words will be muffled by the dust. Your voice will come out of the ground like that of a ghost. Your words will be whispered from the dust.

Good News Translation
Jerusalem will be like a ghost struggling to speak from under the ground, a muffled voice coming from the dust.

International Standard Version
and you will be brought down. You will speak from the ground, and your speech will mumble from the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the ground, and your speech will whisper from the dust.

Majority Standard Bible
You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust.

NET Bible
You will fall; while lying on the ground you will speak; from the dust where you lie, your words will be heard. Your voice will sound like a spirit speaking from the underworld; from the dust you will chirp as if muttering an incantation.

New Heart English Bible
You will be brought down, and will speak out of the ground. Your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will be as of one who has a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and your speech will whisper out of the dust.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

World English Bible
You will be brought down, and will speak out of the ground. Your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will be as of one who has a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and your speech will whisper out of the dust.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have been low, "" You speak from the earth, "" And make your saying low from the dust, "" And your voice has been from the earth, "" As one having a familiar spirit, "" And your saying whispers from the dust,

Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast been low, From the earth thou speakest, And from the dust makest thy saying low, And thy voice hath been from the earth, As one having a familiar spirit, And from the dust thy saying whisperest,

Smith's Literal Translation
And thou being brought down, thou shalt speak from the earth, and thy word shall be depressed out of the dust, and thy voice as a necromancer from the earth, and thy saying Shall peep from the dust.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt be brought down, thou shalt speak out of the earth, and thy speech shall be heard out of the ground: and thy voice shall be from the earth like that of the python, and out of the ground thy speech shall mutter.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You will be brought low. You will speak from the ground, and your eloquence will be heard from the dirt. And, from the ground, your voice will be like that of the python, and your eloquence will mumble from the dirt.

New American Bible
You shall speak from beneath the earth, and from the dust below, your words shall come. Your voice shall be that of a ghost from the earth, and your words shall whisper from the dust.

New Revised Standard Version
Then deep from the earth you shall speak, from low in the dust your words shall come; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall be brought down, and shall speak from the earth, and your words shall be low out of the dust, and your voice shall be heard from the ground like that of a diviner, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you shall be brought down and you shall speak from the dust, and from the dust your words shall squeak, and your voice will be heard from the ground; as necromancers and from the dust your words shall squeak
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And brought down thou shalt speak out of the ground, And thy speech shall be low out of the dust; And thy voice shall be as of a ghost out of the ground, And thy speech shall chirp out of the dust.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thy words shall be brought down to the earth, and thy words shall sink down to the earth, and thy voice shall be as they that speak out of the earth, and thy voice shall be lowered to the ground.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woe to the City of David
3I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you. 4You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust. 5But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,…

Cross References
Ezekiel 26:20
then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the earth below like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor in the land of the living.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Isaiah 8:21-22
They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God. / Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.

Isaiah 47:1
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate.

Isaiah 3:26
And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Isaiah 32:19
But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

Isaiah 51:23
I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”

Isaiah 25:12
The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

Isaiah 2:11
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 5:15
So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.

Isaiah 57:9
You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.

Matthew 11:23
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Luke 10:15
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall be brought down, and shall speak out of the ground, and your speech shall be low out of the dust, and your voice shall be, as of one that has a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

thou shalt

Isaiah 2:11-21
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day…

Isaiah 3:8
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

whisper.

Isaiah 8:19
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

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Bird-Like Chirp Deep Dust Earth Familiar Ghost Ground Low Makest Making Prostrate Speak Speakest Speech Spirit Voice Whisper Words
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














You will be brought low
This phrase signifies a humbling or a reduction in status or power. In the Hebrew context, the word used here can imply being humbled by divine intervention. Historically, this reflects the fate of Jerusalem, which faced numerous sieges and destructions. Theologically, it serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the consequences of straying from His commandments.

and will speak from the ground
The imagery of speaking from the ground suggests a position of defeat or subjugation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, being close to the ground was often associated with death or mourning. This phrase can be seen as a metaphor for the humbled state of the people, emphasizing their need to turn back to God for restoration.

your speech will mumble out of the dust
Mumbling from the dust conveys a sense of weakness and desperation. The Hebrew word for "mumble" can also imply a lack of clarity or strength in communication. This reflects the diminished state of those who have turned away from God, whose voices are no longer strong or authoritative.

Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth
The term "ghostlike" suggests something ethereal or insubstantial. In the biblical context, this can be interpreted as the fading influence and presence of a once-powerful nation. It serves as a warning of the spiritual and physical consequences of disobedience to God.

out of the dust your speech will whisper
Whispering from the dust further emphasizes the theme of humility and loss of power. In Hebrew, the word for "whisper" can also imply secrecy or a lack of confidence. This phrase underscores the need for repentance and the hope that, even in a state of humility, God hears the whispers of a contrite heart.

(4) Shalt speak out of the ground.--The words paint the panic of the besieged, the words pointing probably to Sennacherib's invasion. They spoke in whispers, like the voice of the spectres which men heard in the secret chambers of the soothsayers. The war-cry of the brave was changed into the feeble tones of those that "peep and mutter." (See Note on Isaiah 8:19.)

Verse 4. - Thy speech shall be low. The feeble cries of a people wasted and worn out by a long siege are intended. These cries would resemble those which seemed to come out of the ground when a necromancer professed to raise a ghost. The Hebrew 'ohv is used both of the necromancers (Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6, etc.) and of the ghosts which they professed to raise (1 Samuel 28:7, 8; 2 Kings 21:6, etc.). Here the "ghost" is spoken cf. Thy speech shall whisper; literally, chirp (comp. Isaiah 8:19). The word used occurs only in Isaiah.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You will be brought low,
וְשָׁפַלְתְּ֙ (wə·šā·p̄alt)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 8213: To be or become low, to be abased

you will speak
תְּדַבֵּ֔רִי (tə·ḏab·bê·rî)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

from the ground,
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and out of the dust
וּמֵֽעָפָ֖ר (ū·mê·‘ā·p̄ār)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud

your words
אִמְרָתֵ֑ךְ (’im·rā·ṯêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 565: Utterance, speech, word

will be muffled.
תִּשַּׁ֣ח (tiš·šaḥ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7817: To bow, be bowed down, crouch

Your voice
קוֹלֵ֔ךְ (qō·w·lêḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

will be
וְֽ֠הָיָה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a spirit
כְּא֤וֹב (kə·’ō·wḇ)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 178: A bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer

from the ground;
מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ (mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

your speech
אִמְרָתֵ֥ךְ (’im·rā·ṯêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 565: Utterance, speech, word

will whisper
תְּצַפְצֵֽף׃ (tə·ṣap̄·ṣêp̄)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6850: To chirp, peep

out of the dust.
וּמֵעָפָ֖ר (ū·mê·‘ā·p̄ār)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 29:4 You will be brought down and will (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 29:3
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