John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 29:9

"Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink." — Isaiah 29:9 (ASV)

Tarry and wonder. Isaiah pursues the same subject and more keenly attacks the profound stupidity of the people. Instead of “tarry,” some translate the term, “Be amazed.” However, my preferred interpretation can be expressed this way: “Even if they reflect deeply and long on this thought, it will only result in their minds becoming bewildered through prolonged consideration.” In short, he means that God’s judgment will so completely overwhelm their minds that, though they torture themselves by thinking and reflecting, they will still be unable to find any way out or resolution.

They are drunken, and not with wine. He now explains why persistent thought does not help them overcome their slowness to understand. It is because they resemble drunkards. Therefore, when they neither see nor understand anything in God’s works, he shows that this is due to their indolence and stupidity. Proof of this is seen daily in many people; for spiritual “drunkenness” engrosses and stupefies all their senses to such a degree that they are blind to the clearest matters. And, when God shows the brightest light of justice and equity, they are so completely dazzled that their dim vision bewilders them more and more. This stupidity is a just punishment that the Lord inflicts on them because of their unbelief.

So that we may apply this prophet's statement for our own use, it is important to note that these words from the prophet must not be understood as commands, as if he instructed them to stop and think longer. On the contrary, as we have already said, he mocks and rebukes their stupidity. (Pensez y tant que vous voudrez, vous n’y entendres rien) “Think as much as you please about it, you will not understand it at all.”

They are blinded, and they blind. He means that they are lacking judgment and understanding, and therefore, it is useless for them to contemplate these works of God. For as the brightness of the sun is of no avail to a toad, so a blinded understanding tries its utmost in vain to comprehend the majestic works of God. When he says that “they are blinded,” he means that by nature we are created so as to be endowed with reason and understanding for contemplating God’s works. Our being “blinded” is, so to speak, an accidental fault, and this drunkenness is not natural to us, for it is due to human ingratitude, which the Lord justly censures.

They stagger. He contrasts this “staggering” of the mind with a calm and quiet exercise of reason, for he means the violence of passions that agitates the mind and causes it to waver and reel.