Isaiah 8:19 BSB — MannaFest

Isaiah 8:19

When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?

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?

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Commentary

3 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Isaiah (420)

(Verse 19 and following) And when they say to you, seek from the Pythons and the diviners, who make their enchantments, whether not the people seeks from their God for the living from the dead? To the law more and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it will not be morning light for them. And they will pass through it: they will fall down and be hungry: and when they are hungry, they will become angry and curse their king and their God.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And 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; 2Ki 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.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Hence the Septuagint renders the Hebrew for "necromancers" here "ventriloquists" (compare Isa 29:4). mutter--moan. should not, &c.--The answer which Isaiah recommends to be given to those advising to have recourse to necromancers. for the living, &c.--"should one, for the safety of the living, seek unto (consult) the dead?" [GESENIUS].

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וְכִֽי־	ve.khi-	and if	H3588 →
יֹאמְר֣וּ	yo.me.Ru	they will say	H559 →
אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם	'a.lei.Khem	to you	H413 →
דִּרְשׁ֤וּ	dir.Shu	consult	H1875 →
אֶל־	'el-	<to>	H413 →
הָאֹבוֹת֙	ha.'Ot	the necromancers	H178 →
וְאֶל־	ve.'el-	and <to>	H413 →
הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים	hai.yi.de.'o.Nim	the soothsayers	H3049 →
הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖ים	ham.tzaf.tze.Fim	who whisper	H6850 →
וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑ים	ve.ha.mah.Gim	and who mutter	H1897 →
הֲלוֹא־	ha.lo'-	¿ not	H3808 →
עַם֙	'am	a people	H5971 →
אֶל־	'el-	<to>	H413 →
אֱלֹהָ֣יו	'e.lo.Hav	God its	H430 →
יִדְרֹ֔שׁ	yid.Rosh	will it consult	H1875 →
בְּעַ֥ד	be.'Ad	for	H1157 →
הַחַיִּ֖ים	ha.chai.Yim	the living	H2416 →
אֶל־	'el-	<to>	H413 →
הַמֵּתִֽים׃	ha.me.Tim	the dead	H4191 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 Chronicles 10:13
So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
leads to
- Leviticus 19:31
  You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Leviticus 20:6
  Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 15:23
  For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
Through
Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:10–14
  Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Leviticus 20:27
  A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 2 Kings 21:6
  He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Leviticus 20:6–7
  Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.