King James Version

What Does Isaiah 29:1 Mean?

Isaiah 29:1 in the King James Version says “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Woe: or, O Ariel, tha...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 29 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Woe: or, O Ariel, that is, the lion of God the city: or, of the city kill: Heb. cut off the heads of”

Isaiah 29:1 · KJV

Context

1

Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Woe: or, O Ariel, that is, the lion of God the city: or, of the city kill: Heb. cut off the heads of

2

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

3

And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.

Read Isaiah 29 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! The name אֲרִיאֵל (Ariel) carries layered meaning: 'lion of God' or 'altar hearth.' Isaiah employs this cryptic designation for Jerusalem, the city David established as Israel's capital. The repetition intensifies the lament—God Himself pronounces woe upon His own sanctuary city. The phrase add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices (סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל־שָׁנָה, siphu shanah al-shanah) drips with irony: continue your empty religious calendar, pile up your meaningless sacrifices.

This oracle dates to Hezekiah's reign (circa 701 BC) when Judah maintained religious observances while trusting political alliances over Yahweh. The sacrifices continued at the Temple, but spiritual complacency pervaded. God's woe announces that ritual without righteousness provokes judgment, not blessing. The city hosting His altar would become like an altar itself—a place of burning and slaughter.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (740-686 BC). Jerusalem had become synonymous with the Temple and sacrificial worship, yet the nation's heart had drifted. Within fifteen years of this prophecy, Sennacherib's Assyrian army would besiege Jerusalem (701 BC), fulfilling Isaiah's warning of divine distress upon Ariel.

Reflection Questions

  1. How might our religious activities become empty rituals that provoke God's woe rather than His favor?
  2. What does it mean that God pronounces judgment on the very city He chose for His dwelling place?
  3. In what ways do we 'add year to year' in religious observance while neglecting the heart transformation God desires?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 12 words
ה֚וֹי1 of 12

“Woe”

H1945

oh!

אֲרִיאֵ֔ל2 of 12

“to Ariel”

H740

ariel, a symbolical name for jerusalem, also the name of an israelite

אֲרִיאֵ֔ל3 of 12

“to Ariel”

H740

ariel, a symbolical name for jerusalem, also the name of an israelite

קִרְיַ֖ת4 of 12

“the city”

H7151

a city

חָנָ֣ה5 of 12

“dwelt”

H2583

properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch a tent; generally to encamp (for abode or s

דָוִ֑ד6 of 12

“where David”

H1732

david, the youngest son of jesse

סְפ֥וּ7 of 12

“add”

H5595

properly, to scrape (literally, to shave; but usually figuratively) together (i.e., to accumulate or increase) or away (i.e., to scatter, remove, or r

שָׁנָ֖ה8 of 12

“to year”

H8141

a year (as a revolution of time)

עַל9 of 12
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

שָׁנָ֖ה10 of 12

“to year”

H8141

a year (as a revolution of time)

חַגִּ֥ים11 of 12

“sacrifices”

H2282

a festival, or a victim therefor

יִנְקֹֽפוּ׃12 of 12

“let them kill”

H5362

to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together, i.e., surround or circulate

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 29:1 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 29:1 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Amos 4:4-52 Samuel 5:9Micah 6:6-7Isaiah 66:3Hosea 8:13Hosea 5:6

Places in This Verse

ArielSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E3 verses across 1 book
City of DavidSettlement · Modern: City of David · 31.77°N, 35.24°E46 verses across 7 books
View all places in Isaiah 29 →

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