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 hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion. 19And when they shall say to you, Seek to them that are mediums, and to wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek to their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21And they shall pass through it, distressed and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall be enraged, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22And they shall look to the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Isaiah 8:20 word by word

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

• lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• testimonyתְּעוּדָהte‛ûdâh · testimonyH8584
• speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• wordדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697
• lightשַׁ֫חַרshachar · dawnH7837

Cross-references for Isaiah 8:20

• Isaiah 8:16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
• Luke 10:26He said to him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
• Luke 16:29Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
• John 5:39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
• Acts 17:11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
• Galatians 3:8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
• Galatians 4:21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
• 2 Timothy 3:15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• 2 Peter 1:19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; to which ye do well that ye take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
• Isaiah 30:8Now go, write it before them in a tablet, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
• Psalms 19:7The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
• Psalms 119:130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.
• Jeremiah 8:9The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
• Micah 3:6Therefore night shall be to you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark to you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
• Matthew 6:23But if thy eye is bad, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee is darkness, how great is that darkness!
• Matthew 22:29Jesus answered and said to them, Ye do err, not knowing 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