Isaiah 8:20

Isaiah 8:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
• New International Version (NIV)Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
• English Standard Version (ESV)To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
• New King James Version (NKJV)To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Context of Isaiah 8:20

18Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. 22Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.

Isaiah 8:20 word by word

לְתוֹרָ֖ה וְלִתְעוּדָ֑ה אִם־לֹ֤א יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֖וֹ שָֽׁחַר׃Read the interlinear

• lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• and to the testimonyתְּעוּדָהte‛ûdâh · testimonyH8584
• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• they do not speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• according to thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• wordדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697
• it is becauseאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• they haveאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• dawnשַׁ֫חַרshachar · dawnH7837

Cross-references for Isaiah 8:20

• Isaiah 8:16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
• Luke 10:26And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”
• Luke 16:29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
• John 5:39You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
• Acts 17:11Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
• Galatians 3:8The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
• Galatians 4:21Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
• 2 Timothy 3:15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• 2 Peter 1:19So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
• Isaiah 30:8Now go, write it on a tablet before them And inscribe it on a scroll, That it may serve in the time to come As a witness forever.
• Psalms 19:7The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
• Psalms 119:130The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
• Jeremiah 8:9The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, And what kind of wisdom do they have?
• Micah 3:6Therefore it will be night for you--without vision, And darkness for you--without divination. The sun will go down on the prophets, And the day will become dark over them.
• Matthew 6:23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
• Matthew 22:29But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

Commentaries on Isaiah 8:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20To the law and to the testimony "Unto the command, and unto the testimony" - "Is not תעודה teudah here the attested prophecy, Isaiah 8:1-4;? and perhaps תורה torah the command, Isaiah 8:11-15;? for it means sometimes a particular, and even a human, command; see Proverbs 6:20, and Proverbs 7:1, Proverbs 7:2, where it is ordered to be hid, that is, secretly kept." - Abp. Secker. So Deschamps, in his translation, or rather paraphrase, understands it: "Tenons…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20To the law … - To the revelation which God has given. This is a solemn call of the prophet to try everything by the revealed will of God; see Isaiah 8:16. If they speak not - If the necromancers - those that pretended to have contact with the dead. According to this word - According to what God has revealed. By this standard all their pretended revelations were to be tried. By this standard all doctrines are still to be tried. It is because - There has…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. 20God gave instructions and teachings through the law and through his prophets, such as Isaiah (see Isaiah 8:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. To the law, &c.--the revelation of God by His prophet (Is 8:16), to which he directs them to refer those who would advise necromancy. if they speak not ... it is because--English Version understands "they" as the necromancers. But the Hebrew rendered "because" is not this but "who"; and "if not," ought rather to be "shall they not"; or, truly they shall speak according to this word, who have no morning light (so the Hebrew, that is, prosperity after…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 8:20

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Light
• Minister, Christian
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Ahaz
• Bestead
• Dread
• Law of Moses
• Light
• Sanctify
• Seal
• Testimony
• 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