Isaiah 1:29 (YLT)

Passage

For <FI>men<Fi> are ashamed because of the oaks That ye have desired, And ye are confounded because of the gardens That ye have chosen.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 1:27 Zion in judgment is redeemed, And her captivity in righteousness.

Isaiah 1:28 And the destruction of transgressors and sinners <FI>is<Fi> together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed.

Isaiah 1:29 For <FI>men<Fi> are ashamed because of the oaks That ye have desired, And ye are confounded because of the gardens That ye have chosen.

Isaiah 1:30 For ye are as an oak whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that hath no water.

Isaiah 1:31 And the strong hath been for tow, And his work for a spark, And burned have both of them together, And there is none quenching!

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ashamed", "oaks", "desired", "confounded", "gardens", and "chosen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ashamed" and "oaks", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 28's "And the destruction of transgressors and sinners..." into verse 30's "For ye are as an oak whose...", so "ashamed" and "oaks" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ashamed" and "oaks" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.