Isaiah 8:19

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 8:1-22

In this section we have the account of how the prophet turns from his more public ministry to devote himself to a small circle of believing souls. This departure was signalized by his writing on a tablet the ominous word, Maher-shulal-hash-baz, which means "the spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth." The prophet then turns to his children, the spiritual children who are faithful witnesses, and his own children. Jehovah declares to him that as the people have refused the gentle method of His... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 8:19-20

The People Must Now Make Their Choice Between the Occult and the Word of Yahweh (Isaiah 8:19-20 ). It may be that like Saul before him (1 Samuel 28:0), Ahaz, recognising his rejection by Yahweh, had begun to seek to mediums and spirits. Or it may be that that was what some of his advisers were suggesting. When people do not like what God says to them they often turn to such alternatives, especially when they have no faith and do not know what to do. But whoever is in mind Isaiah’s instruction... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 8:19-22

Isaiah 8:19 to Isaiah 9:1 . Some Fragmentary Utterances.— These fragments are of uncertain date and authorship, corrupt in text and obscure in sense. The first, Isaiah 8:19 f., is a warning against necromancers. Probably the words of those who advocate consulting them continue to the end of Isaiah 8:19. We should render Isaiah 8:19 b, “ should not a people seek unto their elohim? on behalf of the living should they not seek unto the dead?” The elohim are the spirits of the dead, so described... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 8:19

When they, the Israelites, to whom I and my children are signs and wonders, who are fallen from God, and his true religion and worship, into superstition and idolatry, and will endeavour to seduce you into the same impiety, shall say unto you, my children, whom the prophet here arms against the common temptation. Seek unto them for advice and help, and seek no more to the prophets, who have hitherto deluded you with vain words. This was the counsel of the ungodly and unbelieving Jews. Wizards;... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Isaiah 8:19-22

NECROMANCYIsaiah 8:19-22. Seek unto them, &c.As bearing upon the doctrine of necromancy, an exhaustive discussion of these verses would involve the following points: 1. Under the instigation of a prurient curiosity, or under the pressure of affliction, godless men are wont to seek knowledge and help from the spirits of the dead. 2. Hence, in every age of the world and in every nation of universal history, there have been necromancers, wizards, &c., known by various names, practising... read more

Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - Isaiah 8:19

DISCOURSE: 870SEEKING AFTER GODIsaiah 8:19. Should not a people seek unto their God? [Note: The extreme simplicity of this subject renders any further elucidation of it superfluous.] THE appeals which God makes to men in the inspired volume are exceeding forcible: they make men judges in their own cause; and cannot fail to carry conviction to every mind. Who could resist the appeal of Nehemiah to the usurious and oppressive Israelites: “Ought ye not to walk in the fear of God [Note: Nehemiah... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Isaiah 8:1-22

Chapter 8So in chapter 8 he continues in this prediction of the Assyrian invasion.Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz ( Isaiah 8:1 ).And that is interpreted, it's a Hebrew name that means, or word that means, "Haste ye, haste ye to the spoil." Quite a name.And I took me a faithful witness to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah. And I went unto the prophetess [that is his wife]; and she conceived, and she bore... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 8:1-22

Isaiah 8:1 . Take thee a great roll. Lowth reads, a large mirror. The Chaldaic has scripturam claram, a fair writing, which might be on a polished plate; but the Versions read as the English. Isaiah 8:3 . I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. There is much variation here among the critics. But the child’s name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, that is, to hasten to the spoil, to take quickly the prey, designates the king of Assyria. The whole is a vision, for Isaiah had... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Isaiah 8:19-20

Isaiah 8:19-20And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spiritsWizardsWizards and “they that have familiar spirits,” are what we should now call “mediums,” through whom the dead speak.(A. B. Davidson, D. D.)Wizards that peep and mutter“Peep” (i.e., chirp) and “mutter” refer to the faint voice, like that of a little bird, which antiquity ascribed to the shades of the departed: “The sheeted dead did squeak and gibber in the streets of Rome” (see Isaiah 29:4). The LXX... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Isaiah 8:19

Isa 8:19 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? Ver. 19. And when they shall say unto you. ] The prophet’s wholesome advice to his disciples. God had hid his face and withdrawn his favour from this people; therefore they would help themselves as they could, by doing as Saul did when forsaken of God, by running to witches and wizards, resolving... read more

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