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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead?

Context of Isaiah 8:19

17I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. 18Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion. 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? 20Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; 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 19:3The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.
• Leviticus 20:6“ ‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.
• Deuteronomy 18:11or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
• 1 Samuel 28:8So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”
• 1 Chronicles 10:13Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance,
• 2 Chronicles 33:6He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
• Isaiah 29:4Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper.
• 1 Samuel 28:16Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy?
• 2 Kings 1:3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
• Psalms 106:28They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
• Jeremiah 10:10But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell 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