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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick 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.

Context of Isaiah 8:22

20To Torah and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no light. 21They will pass this way that are hard-pressed and hungry, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will become enraged and curse their king and their God. Whether they turn their faces upward or look to the earth, behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they will be driven into darkness. 23But there is no gloom to her who was in anguish, as in time past. He treated lightly the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will bring glory— by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan— Galilee of the Gentiles.

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 roar against them like the roaring of the sea. If one looks to the land, behold, darkness and distress! The light is darkened by the clouds.
• Isaiah 9:1The people walking in darkness will see a great light. Upon those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, light will shine.
• 2 Chronicles 15:5In those times there was no shalom for anyone coming or going, for there were many conflicts among all the inhabitants of the lands.
• Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to Adonai your God, before it grows dark, and before your feet stumble on mountains at dusk. When you look for light, He turns it into the shadow of death, and turns it into deep darkness.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see whether a man can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman giving birth? Why have all faces turned pale?
• Amos 5:18Oy to you—longing for the Day of Adonai! What would it be for you? The Day of Adonai will be darkness and not light.
• Zephaniah 1:14The great day of Adonai is near— near and coming very quickly! The sound of the day of Adonai is bitter— the shouting of the warrior is there.
• Matthew 8:12But the sons of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness; in that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
• Matthew 24:29“But immediately after the trouble 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“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars. And upon the earth nations will be confused by the roaring of the sea and its waves.
• Jude 1:13wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
• Job 18:18He is driven from light into darkness and is banished from the world.
• Proverbs 14:32The wicked is brought down in his calamity yet the righteous has a refuge even in death.
• Jeremiah 23:12“Therefore their way will be for them like slippery places in the gloom. They will be driven away and fall there, for I will bring calamity on them, even the year of their visitation.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Matthew 22:13Then the king said to his servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place 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