Isaiah 29:2

Although this passage is similar to 3:1-4, people consider it difficult to understand. There are very many different ideas about its meaning. Some people say that these events happened on the night after the wedding, or soon after that. Some people say that this was just a dream. So they think that these events never happened. And other people say that the woman is simply remembering the events in chapter 3.

But the poet considered that his poem was complete without any further explanation. So we are unwise to add any ideas that are not in the original passage. In this commentary, we shall simply study the events that the poet describes.

Again, these sad events happened by night. She was sleeping inside, and she had locked the door. He arrived at the closed door, and he spoke loving words to her.

In the past, she described how he spoke to her through the window (2:9). And on this occasion too, he tried to speak to her. He asked her to open the door; probably because he wanted actually to see her. And now they were engaged (or perhaps married). So, the customs of their society allowed him to see her.

This event may have happened when they were engaged, but not yet married. If so, his visits to her might be very rare. It may have been several months or even years since they became engaged. And this might be their first opportunity to meet during all that time.