Isaiah 8:19-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:19

Seeking for the living to the dead. The necromancy of ancient times was a system of appeal to the dead on behalf of the living. The shades or ghosts of dead men were supposed to be brought up from Hades by the necromancer, who compelled them to answer his questions, and was supposed to make their answers useful to the living. A system not very dissimilar has prevailed of recent years in many parts both of England and of America, whereby "spirits" are believed to be brought into communication... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:19-22

ISAIAH RECOMMENDS LOOKING TO GOD AND THE REVEALED WORD RATHER THAN TO NECROMANCY . AFFLICTION WILL BRING ISRAEL TO GOD . Isaiah returns, in verse 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 (verses 21, 22), men will generally turn for relief to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:19-22

The confession of ungodliness, etc. The prevalence of the evil and sinister arts of necromancy is exceedingly significant. The attempt to supply knowledge for the living by appealing to the dead ( Isaiah 8:19 ) has been made in every latitude and longitude, in every age, in every condition of society. What is the significance of this fact? We have here— I. THE CONFESSION OF UNGODLINESS AND ITS DEGRADATION . When men have thrown off their allegiance to God, when they have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:20

To the Law and to the testimony . A sort of watchword or battle-cry, to be used by the faithful when God's enemies assailed them. Compare Gideon's cry ( 7:18 ), "For the Lord and for Gideon." If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them ; rather, Surely they will speak according to this word , when there is no dawn for them ; i.e. when they are plunged in darkness ( Isaiah 8:22 ) and distress, and see no prospect of better days, surely... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:20

The standard of truth and morals. This text is not merely a Divine declaration. It rests upon the great fact that man can never be satisfied until he gets a standard of truth and duty outside of and apart from himself. No man anywhere can reach an intelligent satisfaction by becoming wholly a law unto himself. The moral sense in every man is vitiated, and its attestations are uncertain. The testimony of conscience is variable; it is not now always prompt, decided, and faithful in its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:21

They shall pass through it . "It," which is feminine, must mean "the land." The Jews left in it shall wander about it (comp. Isaiah 7:21-25 ), seeking pasture for the remnant of their cattle. They shall fret themselves ; rather, they shall be deeply angered (Cheyne). And curse their king and their God . As the causes of their sufferings. And look upward . Not in hope, but in rage and defiance. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:21-22

are supposed by some to be cut of place, and to belong properly to the description of the Assyrian invasion, given in Isaiah 8:7 , Isaiah 8:8 . But this bold solution of a difficulty is scarcely to be commended, there being no limit to its use. An order followed in all the manuscripts should not be disturbed, if it gives any tolerable sense. Such a sense can, it is thought, be found here by regarding the two verses as exegetical of the last clause of Isaiah 8:20 —"when there is no dawn... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 8:22

They shall look unto the earth. For necessary nutriment, or simply as the place to which downcast and despairing eyes are turned naturally. They shall be driven to darkness. So Kay, who thinks the Captivity is meant; but it seems better to render the whole passage, with Mr. Cheyne, "They shall look to earth, and behold, distress and darkness, gloom of affliction, and thick darkness driven (upon them)." The darkness is spoken of as if it were a thing palpable, like rain or snow (comp. ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 8:19

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; 2 Kings 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. That it was common for idolatrous people to seek direction from those who... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 8:20

To 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 been a great variety of criticism upon this... read more

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