Isaiah 8:22

Isaiah 8:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
• New International Version (NIV)Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.
• New Living Translation (NLT)and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.

Context of Isaiah 8:22

20To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Isaiah 8:22 word by word

וְאֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט וְהִנֵּ֨ה צָרָ֤ה וַחֲשֵׁכָה֙ מְע֣וּף צוּקָ֔ה וַאֲפֵלָ֖ה מְנֻדָּֽח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• unto the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and behold troubleצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869
• and darknessחֲשֵׁכָהchăshêkâh chăshêykâh · darknessH2825
• dimnessמָעוּףmâ‛ûph · gloomH4588
• of anguishצוּקָהtsôq tsûqâh · anguishH6695
• drivenנָדַחnâdach · to banishH5080
• to darknessאֲפֵלָה'ăphêlâh · darknessH653

Cross-references for Isaiah 8:22

• Isaiah 5:30They will growl over it on that day, like the growling of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened by its clouds.
• Isaiah 9:1But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
• 2 Chronicles 15:5In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.
• Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?
• Amos 5:18Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light,
• Zephaniah 1:14The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.
• Matthew 8:12while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
• Matthew 24:29"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
• Luke 21:25"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,
• Jude 1:13wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
• Job 18:18He is thrust from light into darkness, and driven out of the world.
• Proverbs 14:32The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
• Jeremiah 23:12Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall, for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, declares the Lord.
• Matthew 22:13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Commentaries on Isaiah 8:22

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22And they shall look unto the earth - They would look upward and find no relief, and then in despair cast their eyes to the earth to obtain help there. Yet equally in vain. The whole image is one of intense anguish brought on the nation for leaving the counselor the true God. And behold … - see the note at Isaiah 5:30. Trouble - Anguish, oppression, צרה tsârâh from צור tsûr to oppress, to straiten, to afflict. This is a remarkable instance of the…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. 21-2221-22. More detailed description of the despair, which they shall fall into, who sought necromancy instead of God; Is 8:20 implies that too late they shall see how much better it would have been for them to have sought "to the law," &c. (De 32:31). But now they are given over to despair. Therefore, while seeing the truth of God, they only "curse their King and God"; foreshadowing the future, like conduct of those belonging to the "kingdom of the beast,"…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 8:22

• Blasphemy
• Colors
• Darkness
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Ahaz
• Bestead
• Darkness
• Dread
• Light
• Sanctify
• Seal
• Anguish
• Ezekiel
• Isaiah

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