Bible Strands
Isaiah 19:3
Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord pronounces judgment on Egypt immediately following the civil fragmentation of verse 2 and preceding the foreign domination of verse 4.
The words — אֲבַלֵּ֑עַ ('a.va.Le.a) translates literally as "I will confuse," describing divine disruption of Egyptian strategy. וְ/דָרְשׁ֤וּ (ve./da.re.Shu) means "and they will consult," marking the population's desperate turn toward occult sources.
The thread — The passage's depiction of seeking mediums and spirits of the dead aligns with Isaiah 8:19's rhetorical contrast between consulting the dead and consulting God, while reflecting the broader biblical pattern of rulers relying on diviners as seen in Daniel 2:2 and 1 Chronicles 10:13.
Why it lands — The text states that political collapse and confused leadership drive people toward necromancy, demanding a clear-eyed recognition that turning to the dead signals spiritual desolation rather than solutions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 8:19 When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Daniel 2:2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
- 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,
- Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Isaiah 44:25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
- 1 Samuel 25:37 In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these events, and his heart failed within him, and he became like a stone.
- 2 Samuel 15:31 Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
- 2 Chronicles 25:16 While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”