إِشَعْيَاءَ 19:3

Smith Van Dyke Version

وتهراق روح مصر داخلها وافني مشورتها فيسألون الاوثان والعازفين واصحاب التوابع والعرافين.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the spirit: This is a prophecy of what took place in Egypt about twenty-two years after the destruction of Sennacherib's army; when, upon the death of Tirhakah - bc 688 not being able to settle about the succession, they continued for two years in a state of anarchy, confusion, and civil wars; which was followed by the tyranny of twelve princes, who, dividing the country among them, governed it for fifteen years; and at last, by the sole dominion of Psammiticus, which he held for fifty-four years. Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah 19:11-13, Isaiah 57:16, 1 Samuel 25:37, Psalms 76:12, Jeremiah 46:15, Ezekiel 21:7, Ezekiel 22:14

fail: Heb. be emptied

and I: Isaiah 14:27, 2 Samuel 15:31, 2 Samuel 17:14, 2 Samuel 17:23, 2 Chronicles 25:16-20, Job 5:12, Job 5:13, Proverbs 21:30, 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20

destroy: Heb. swallow up, Psalms 107:27,*marg.

and they: Isaiah 8:19, Isaiah 15:2, Isaiah 44:25, Isaiah 47:12, 1 Chronicles 10:13, Daniel 2:2, Daniel 4:6, Daniel 4:7, Daniel 5:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:8 - the magicians of Egypt Exodus 22:18 - General 1 Samuel 15:23 - witchcraft 1 Samuel 28:7 - a familiar spirit 2 Kings 21:6 - familiar 2 Kings 23:24 - the workers 2 Chronicles 33:6 - dealt Psalms 33:10 - The Lord Psalms 58:5 - charming never so wisely Isaiah 29:14 - for the wisdom Isaiah 30:28 - causing Jeremiah 4:9 - that the heart Daniel 1:20 - the magicians Daniel 2:27 - cannot Daniel 4:18 - forasmuch Obadiah 1:8 - even Matthew 12:25 - Every kingdom Mark 3:24 - General Luke 11:17 - Every 1 Corinthians 1:19 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof,.... Meaning not the spirit of valour and courage, that is expressed before, but of wisdom, prudence, and understanding; the wisdom of Egypt, in which Moses is said to be brought up, Acts 7:22 was famous all the world over; hither men of learning, as the ancient philosophers, Pythagoras, Plato, and others, travelled, to improve in knowledge, and gain a larger acquaintance with things human and divine; it was the mother and mistress of the liberal arts and sciences; but now what was before like a river full of water, was about to be "emptied", and drained dry, as the word y used signifies:

and I will destroy the counsels thereof; or "swallow [them] up" z, so that they shall be no more seen, or take effect: this explains what is before meant by the spirit of Egypt, and which is further enlarged on, and illustrated in Isaiah 19:11,

and they shall seek to the idols; with which the land abounded, particularly to Osiris and Isis, to Apis, Latona, and others:

and to the charmers; that used incantations and spells; magicians and conjurers, that whispered and muttered; for the word used has the signification of speaking in a slow and drawling manner. The Targum renders it "witches"; but Jarchi takes it to be the name of an idol:

and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards;

Isaiah 19:11- :.

y נבקה "evacuabitur", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Cocceius. z אבלע "deglutiam", Montanus; "absorpsero", Junius Tremellius "absorbebo", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the spirit of Egypt - (see Isaiah 19:1). They shall be exhausted with their long internal contentions and strifes; and seeing no prospect of deliverance, and anxious that the turmoils should end, they shall seek counsel and refuge in their gods and necromancers, but in vain.

Shall fail - (נבקה nâb^eqâh). Margin, ‘Be emptied.’ The word means, literally, “to pour out, empty, depopulate.” Here it means that they would become disheartened and discouraged.

And I will destroy - Margin, as the Hebrew, ‘I will swallow up.’ So the word is used in Psalms 107:27, ‘All their wisdom is destroyed’ (Hebrew, ‘swallowed up. ‘)

And they shall seek to the idols - According to Herodotus (ii. 152), Psammetichus had consulted the oracle of Latona at Butos, and received for answer that the sea should avenge his cause by producing brazen men. Some time after, a body of Ionians and Carians were compelled by stress of weather to touch at Egypt, and landed there, clad in brass armor. Some Egyptians, alarmed at their appearance, came to Psammetichus, and described them as brazen men who had risen from the sea, and were plundering the country. He instantly supposed that this was the accomplishment of the oracle, and entered into an alliance with the strangers, and by their aid was enabled to obtain the victory over his foes. Compare the different accounts of Diodorus in the Analysis of this chapter. The whole history of Egypt shows how much they were accustomed to consult their idols (see Herodot. ii. 54ff, 82, 83, 139, 152). Herodotus says (ii. 83), that the art of divination in Egypt was confined to certain of their deities. There were in that country the oracles of Hercules, of Apollo, of Mars, of Diana, and of Jupiter; but the oracle of Latona in Butos was held in greater veneration than any of the rest.

And to the charmers - (אטים 'ı̂ṭı̂ym). This word occurs nowhere else. The root אטט 'âṭaṭ, in Arabic, means “to mutter, to make a gentle noise;” and this word probably denotes conjurors, diviners (see the note at Isaiah 8:19). The Septuagint renders it, ‘Their idols.’

And to them that have familiar spirits - (see the note at Isaiah 8:19). The Septuagint renders this, ‘Those who speak from the ground.’

And to the wizards - Septuagint - Ἐγγαστριμύθους Engastrimuthous - ‘Ventriloquists.’ The Hebrew word means a wise man, a soothsayer, a magician (ידענים yı̂dı̂‛onı̂ym from ידע yâda‛ “to know;” see Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:11). This fake science abounded in Egypt, and in most Oriental countries.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 19:3. They shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. — And thei schul asken their symulacres, and their devynouris, and their devyl clepers, and their devyl sacristers. - Old Bible. The import of the original words has already been given where they occur in the Pentateuch. See Deuteronomy 18:10, &c.