Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version 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? New Living Translation 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? English Standard Version 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? Berean Standard Bible 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? King James Bible 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? New King James Version 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 American Standard Bible When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should a people not consult their God? Should they consult the dead in behalf of the living? NASB 1995 When 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? NASB 1977 And when 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? Legacy Standard Bible Now when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? Amplified Bible When the people [instead of trusting God] say to you, “Consult the mediums [who try to talk to the dead] and the soothsayers who chirp and whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Christian Standard Bible When they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the spiritists who chirp and mutter,” shouldn’t a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? Holman Christian Standard Bible When they say to you, “Consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who chirp and mutter,” shouldn’t a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? American Standard Version 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? Contemporary English Version Someone may say to you, "Go to the fortunetellers who make soft chirping sounds or ask the spirits of the dead. After all, a nation ought to be able to ask its own gods English Revised Version 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? GOD'S WORD® Translation People will say to you, "Ask for help from the mediums and the fortunetellers, who whisper and mutter." Shouldn't people ask their God for help instead? Why should they ask the dead to help the living? Good News Translation But people will tell you to ask for messages from fortunetellers and mediums, who chirp and mutter. They will say, "After all, people should ask for messages from the spirits and consult the dead on behalf of the living." International Standard Version "So when they advise you, 'Ask the mediums your questions, and quiz the spiritists who chirp and mutter,' shouldn't a people instead be consulting their God— and not the dead— on behalf of those who are living Majority Standard Bible 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? NET Bible They will say to you, "Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?" New Heart English Bible When they tell you, "Consult with the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits who chirp and who mutter. Shouldn't a people consult with their gods, by consulting the dead on behalf of the living?" Webster's Bible Translation And when they shall say to you, Seek to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek to their God? for the living to the dead? World English Bible When they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter,” shouldn’t a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd when they say to you, “Seek to those having familiar spirits, "" And to wizards, who chatter and mutter,” "" Does a people not seek to its God? To the dead on behalf of the living? Young's Literal Translation And when they say unto you, 'Seek unto those having familiar spirits, And unto wizards, who chatter and mutter, Doth not a people seek unto its God? -- For the living unto the dead! Smith's Literal Translation And when they shall say to you, Seek ye to necromancers and to wizards peeping and panting: shall not a people seek their God among the living for the dead? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd when they shall say to you: Seek of pythons, and of diviners, who mutter in their enchantments: should not the people seek of their God, for the living of the dead? Catholic Public Domain Version And though they say to you, “Seek from seers and diviners,” they who hiss in their incantations, should not the people seek from their God, for the sake of the living, and not from the dead? New American Bible And when they say to you, “Inquire of ghosts and soothsayers who chirp and mutter; should not a people inquire of their gods, consulting the dead on behalf of the living, New Revised Standard Version Now if people say to you, “Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd when they shall say to you, Inquire of men who have familiar spirits and of wise men who chirp and mutter, these men are not God's people, who inquire of the dead concerning the living. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And when they will say to you, “Inquire from Necromancers and from Soothsayers who shriek and murmur” they are not the people of God, those who ask the dead about life OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead Brenton Septuagint Translation And if they should say to you, Seek those who have in them a divining spirit, and them that speak out of the earth, them that speak vain words, who speak out of their belly: shall not a nation diligently seek to their God? why do they seek to the dead concerning the living? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Darkness and Light19When 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? 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.… Cross References Deuteronomy 18:10-12 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, / casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. / For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you. 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. 1 Samuel 28:7-8 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied. / So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.” 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. 2 Chronicles 33:6 He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Jeremiah 27:9-10 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums, or your sorcerers who declare, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ / For they prophesy to you a lie that will serve to remove you from your land; I will banish you and you will perish. Jeremiah 29:8-9 For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them. / For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.” Micah 5:12 I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers. Acts 16:16-18 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. / This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” / She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment. Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 22:15 But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. Ephesians 5:11-12 Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. / For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, Treasury of Scripture And when they shall say to you, Seek to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek to their God? for the living to the dead? seek Isaiah 19:3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. Leviticus 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. Deuteronomy 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. that peep Isaiah 29:4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. should not 1 Samuel 28:16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 2 Kings 1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. for the living Psalm 106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; Jump to Previous Arts Behalf Bird-Like Chatter Chirp Consult Control Dead Familiar Ghosts Hollow Inquire Mediums Mutter Necromancers Secret Seek Shouldn't Soothsayers Sounds Spiritists Spirits Whisper Wise WizardsJump to Next Arts Behalf Bird-Like Chatter Chirp Consult Control Dead Familiar Ghosts Hollow Inquire Mediums Mutter Necromancers Secret Seek Shouldn't Soothsayers Sounds Spiritists Spirits Whisper Wise WizardsIsaiah 8 1. In Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, he prophesies Syria and Israel shall be subdued by Assyria5. Judah likewise for their infidelity 9. God's judgments shall be irresistible 11. Comfort shall be to those who fear God 19. Great afflictions to idolaters When men tell you This phrase sets the stage for a warning against the practices that were prevalent in ancient Israel. The Hebrew word for "men" here can refer to people in general, indicating that this was a common temptation. Historically, Israel was surrounded by nations that practiced divination and necromancy, and the Israelites were often tempted to adopt these practices. This phrase serves as a reminder of the constant pressure to conform to the surrounding culture, a challenge that remains relevant for believers today. to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter should not a people consult their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Should not a people seek unto their God? . . .--That, the prophet says, is the only true pathway to such knowledge as is good for man. The latter part of the question is abruptly elliptical: Are men to seek on behalf of the living to the dead? What ground, he seems to ask, have we for thinking that the spirits of the dead can be recalled to earth, or, if that were possible, that they know more than the living do? May it not even be that they know less? The prophet views the state of the departed as Hezekiah views it (Isaiah 38:18), as one, not of annihilation, but of dormant or weakened powers. . . . Verses 19-22. - ISAIAH RECOMMENDS LOOKING TO GOD AND THE REVEALED WORD RATHER THAN TO NECROMANCY. AFFLICTION WILL BRING ISRAEL TO GOD. Isaiah returns, in ver. 19, to the consideration of his disciples. In the terrible times impending, they will be recommended to have recourse to necromancy; he urges that they should look to God and the Law. He then further suggests that, in the coming affliction which he describes (vers. 21, 22), men will generally turn for relief to the same quarter (ver. 20). Verse 19. - Seek unto them that have familiar spirits. In times of great distress the Israelites seem always to have been tempted to consult those among them who pretended to magic and divination. So Saul in the Philistine war resorted to the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:7-20); Manasseh, threatened by Esar-haddon, "used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards" (2 Kings 21:6). Israel generally, oppressed by Syria and Assyria, "used divination and enchantments" (2 Kings 17:17). There was the same inclination now on the part of many Jews. The vexed question of the actual powers possessed by such persons cannot be discussed within the limits of a footnote. It has, moreover, already been treated in the present Commentary, in connection with Leviticus 19:31. Wizards that peep, and that mutter; rather, that chirp and mutter. Tricks of the ventriloquists, probably, who disguised their voices, and represented that they were the voices of ghosts (comp. Isaiah 29:4). The natural speech of some tribes has been compared to the "chirping of birds" (Herod., 4:183; Hornemann, 'Travels,' p. 119). Should not a people, etc.? Very abrupt and elliptical Isaiah means to say, "Do not attend to them; but answer, Should not a people," etc.? For the living. This may either mean "instead of the living," or "on behalf of the living seek to the dead?" or, Would not that be plainly preposterous?Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Whenוְכִֽי־ (wə·ḵî-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction men tell יֹאמְר֣וּ (yō·mə·rū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say you אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם (’ă·lê·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to to consult דִּרְשׁ֤וּ (dir·šū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship the spirits of the dead הָאֹבוֹת֙ (hā·’ō·ḇō·wṯ) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 178: A bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer and the spiritists הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים (hay·yid·də·‘ō·nîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3049: A knowing one, a conjurer, a ghost who whisper הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖ים (ham·ṣap̄·ṣə·p̄îm) Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 6850: To chirp, peep and mutter, וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑ים (wə·ham·mah·gîm) Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 1897: To moan, growl, utter, speak, muse shouldn’t הֲלוֹא־ (hă·lō·w-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no a people עַם֙ (‘am) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock consult יִדְרֹ֔שׁ (yiḏ·rōš) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship their God [instead]? אֱלֹהָ֣יו (’ĕ·lō·hāw) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Why consult the dead הַמֵּתִֽים׃ (ham·mê·ṯîm) Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 4191: To die, to kill on behalf of בְּעַ֥ד (bə·‘aḏ) Preposition Strong's 1157: In up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for the living? הַחַיִּ֖ים (ha·ḥay·yîm) Article | Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life Links Isaiah 8:19 NIVIsaiah 8:19 NLT Isaiah 8:19 ESV Isaiah 8:19 NASB Isaiah 8:19 KJV Isaiah 8:19 BibleApps.com Isaiah 8:19 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 8:19 Chinese Bible Isaiah 8:19 French Bible Isaiah 8:19 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 8:19 When they tell you Consult with those (Isa Isi Is) |
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