Isa 29:15-16 | NETfull | STEP | Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are as good as dead, who do their work in secret and boast, “Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?”

Isaiah 29:15-16

15 Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are as good as dead, ^{▼▼ Heb “Woe [to] those who deeply hide counsel from the Lord.” This probably alludes to political alliances made without seeking the Lord’s guidance. See 30:1–2 and 31:1.}
who do their work in secret and boast, ^{▼▼ Heb “and their works are in darkness and they say.”}
“Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?” ^{▼▼ The rhetorical questions suggest the answer, “no one.” They are confident that their deeds are hidden from others, including God.}
16 Your thinking is perverse! ^{▼▼ Heb “your overturning.” The predicate is suppressed in this exclamation. The idea is, “O your perversity! How great it is!” See GKC 470 #147.c. The people “overturn” all logic by thinking their authority supersedes God’s.}
Should the potter be regarded as clay? ^{▼▼ The expected answer to this rhetorical question is “of course not.” On the interrogative use of אִם (’im), see BDB 50 s.v.}
Should the thing made say ^{▼▼ Heb “that the thing made should say.”} about its maker, “He didn’t make me”?
Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?