“The vision of all this
Has become for you
Like the words of a sealed document.
If it is given to those
Who can read,
With the command.
‘Read this!’
They say.
‘We cannot.
Because it is sealed.’
If it is given to those
Who cannot read,
Saying.
‘Read this!’
They say.
‘We cannot read.’”
These few verses seem to be an addition about how revelation is hidden. This vision about the future is like a sealed document or scroll that you cannot read. Even if you are told to read it, you cannot, because it is sealed. In fact, the same thing happens to those who cannot read, whether the document is sealed or not. They still cannot read it, because they do not know how to read. This pertained to the majority of the people, since only about 5-15% of the Israelite people could read.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 