Isaiah 8:19

Isaiah 8:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
• New International Version (NIV)When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

Context of Isaiah 8:19

17I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will wait for him. 18Here I am with the children the Lord has given me to be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Armies who dwells on Mount Zion. When they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the spiritists who chirp and mutter,” shouldn’t a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them. 21They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.

Isaiah 8:19 word by word

וְכִֽי־יֹאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם דִּרְשׁ֤וּ אֶל־הָאֹבוֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖ים וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑ים הֲלוֹא־עַם֙ אֶל־אֱלֹהָ֣יו יִדְרֹ֔שׁ בְּעַ֥ד הַחַיִּ֖ים אֶל־הַמֵּתִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when they shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto you, Seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• unto them that have familiar spiritsאוֹב'ôb · mediumH178
• and unto wizardsיִדְּעֹנִיyidde‛ônîy · spiritistH3049
• that peepצָפַףtsâphaph · to whisperH6850
• and that mutterהָגָהhâgâh · to mutterH1897
• should not a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• unto their Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• for the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• to the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Isaiah 8:19

• Isaiah 19:3Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it, and I will frustrate its plans. Then they will inquire of worthless idols, ghosts, mediums, and spiritists.
• Leviticus 20:6“Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people.
• Deuteronomy 18:11cast spells, consult a medium or a spiritist, or inquire of the dead.
• 1 Samuel 28:8Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you.”
• 1 Chronicles 10:13Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance,
• 2 Chronicles 33:6He passed his sons through the fire in Ben Hinnom Valley. He practiced witchcraft, divination, and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did a huge amount of evil in the Lord’s sight, angering him.
• Isaiah 29:4You will be brought down; you will speak from the ground, and your words will come from low in the dust. Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper from the dust.
• 1 Samuel 28:16Samuel answered, “Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me?
• 2 Kings 1:3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
• 2 Peter 2:1There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves.
• Psalms 106:28They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
• Jeremiah 10:10But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at his wrath, and the nations cannot endure his fury.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

Commentaries on Isaiah 8:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Should not a people seek "Should they seek" - After ידרש yidrosh, the Septuagint, repeating the word, read הידרש hayidrosh : ; ; Should not a nation seek unto its God? Why should you seek unto the dead concerning the living? and this repetition of the verb seems necessary to the sense; and, as Procopius on the place observes, it strongly expresses the prophet's indignation at their folly.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19And when they shall say - When the people, instead of putting confidence in God, shall propose to apply to necromancers. In the time of Ahaz the people were, as they were often, much inclined to idolatry; 2 Kings 16:10. In their troubles and embarrassments, instead of looking to Yahweh, they imitated the example of surrounding nations, and applied for relief to those who professed to be able to hold converse with spirits. That it was common for idolatrous…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 17-22 The prophet foresaw that the Lord would hide his face; but he would look for his return in favour to them again. Though not miraculous signs, the children's names were memorials from God, suited to excite attention. The unbelieving Jews were prone to seek counsel in difficulties, from diviners of different descriptions, whose foolish and sinful ceremonies are alluded to. Would we know how we may seek to our God, and come to the knowledge of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22Isaiah contrasted his message with the advice of ungodly people around him. His message brought light and truth. The message of spiritists led to darkness and death. Mediums tried to discover the future through divination (seeking hidden knowledge through rituals). Some claimed to speak with the dead (see Isaiah 19:3). However, God had forbidden these practices because they were empty and harmful (Isaiah 47:9; Deuteronomy 18:9–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Seek unto--Consult in your national difficulties. them ... familiar spirits--necromancers, spirit charmers. So Saul, when he had forsaken God (1Sa 28:7, &c.), consulted the witch of En-dor in his difficulties. These follow in the wake of idolatry, which prevailed under Ahaz (2Ki 16:3, 4, 10). He copied the soothsaying as he did the idolatrous "altar" of Damascus (compare Le 20:6, which forbids it, Is 19:3). wizards--men claiming supernatural…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 8:19

• Desire
• Familiar Spirits
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Minister, Christian
• Necromancy
• Seekers
• Sorcery

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Ahaz
• Bestead
• Divination
• Dread
• Familiar spirit
• Light
• Sanctify
• Seal

Commentaries on Isaiah 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings