Isaiah 19:3

Wycliffe Bible

And the spirit of Egipt schal be brokun in the entrailis therof, and Y schal caste doun the councel therof; and thei schulen axe her symylacris, and her false diuinouris, and her men that han vncleene spiritis spekinge in the wombe, and her dyuynouris bi sacrifices maad on auteris to feendis.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it,and I will frustrate its plans.Then they will inquire of idols, ghosts,and spiritists.

Hebrew Names Version
The spirit of Mitzrayim shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

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.

English Standard Version
and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers;

New American Standard Bible
"Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confuse their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead, And to mediums and spiritists.

New Century Version
The Egyptians will be afraid, and I will ruin their plans. They will ask advice from their idols and spirits of the dead, from their mediums and fortune-tellers."

Amplified Bible
"Then the spirit of the Egyptians will become exhausted within them and emptied out; And I will confuse their strategy, So that they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, And mediums and soothsayers.

World English Bible
The spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the spirite of Egypt shall faile in the middes of her, and I will destroy their counsell, and they shall seeke at the idoles, and at the sorcerers, and at them that haue spirits of diuination, and at the southsayers.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied to destruction within them;And I will confuse their counsel,So that they will seek idols and ghosts of the deadAnd to mediums and spiritists.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Contemporary English Version
"Egypt will be discouraged when I confuse their plans. They will try to get advice from their idols, from the spirits of the dead, and from fortunetellers.

Complete Jewish Bible
The courage of Egypt will ebb away within it, I will reduce its counsel to confusion. They will consult idols and mediums, ghosts and spirits.

Darby Translation
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it, and I will destroy the counsel thereof; and they shall seek unto the idols and unto the conjurers, and unto the necromancers, and unto the soothsayers.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Egyptians will be afraid and confused. They will ask their false gods and wise men what they should do. They will ask their wizards and magicians, but I will ruin their plans."

George Lamsa Translation
And the spirit of the Egyptian shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will blot out their counsel; and they shall inquire of idols and of the sorcerers and of those who have familiar spirits and of wizards.

Good News Translation
I am going to frustrate the plans of the Egyptians and destroy their morale. They will ask their idols to help them, and they will go and consult mediums and ask the spirits of the dead for advice.

Lexham English Bible
And the spirit of the Egyptians will be disturbed in his midst, and I will confuse his plans, and they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, and the ghosts and the spiritists.

Literal Translation
And the spirit of the Egyptians shall be empty in its midst; and I will swallow its counsel. And they shall seek to idols, and to the enchanters, and to the mediums, and to the spirit-knowers.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Egipte shalbe choked in hir self. Whe they axe councel at their goddes, at their Prophetes, at their soythsayers and witches: then will I bringe their councel to naught.

American Standard Version
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Bible in Basic English
And the spirit of Egypt will be troubled in her, and I will make her decisions without effect: and they will be turning to the false gods, and to those who make hollow sounds, and to those who have control of spirits, and to those who are wise in secret arts.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the spirit of Egypt shall be made empty within it; and I will make void the counsel thereof; and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the whisperers, and to the ghosts, and to the familiar spirits.

King James Version (1611)
And the spirit of Egypt shall faile in the midst thereof, and I will destroy the counsell thereof: and they shall seeke to the idoles, and to the charmers, and to them that haue familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The mynde also of Egypt shalbe cleane without counsayle within it selfe, and the deuice that they take wil I destroy: and they shall seke counsayle at idols and at sorcerers, at workers with spirites, and at soothsayers.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the spirit of the Egyptians shall be troubled within them; and I will frustrate their counsel: and they shall enquire of their gods and their images, and them that speak out of the earth, and them that have in them a divining spirit.

English Revised Version
And the spirit of Egypt shall be made void in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Update Bible Version
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to the spiritists, and to the wizards.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of her, and I will destroy her counsel: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

New English Translation
The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.

New King James Version
The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers.

New Living Translation
The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will confuse their plans. They will plead with their idols for wisdom and call on spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

New Life Bible
Then the spirit of the Egyptians will become weak within them. And I will bring their plans to nothing. They will go to false gods and spirits of the dead for help, and to those who speak with spirits of the dead and use their secret ways.

New Revised Standard
the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their plans; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead and the ghosts and the familiar spirits;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the spirit of Egypt, shall vanish, within them, Yea the sagacity thereof, will I swallow up, - And they will seek Unto the idols and Unto them that mutter, and Unto them that have familiar spirits, and Unto the wizards;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the spirit of Egypt shall be broken in the bowels thereof, and I will cast down their counsel: and they shall consult their idols, and their diviners, and their wizards, and soothsayers.

Revised Standard Version
and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their plans; and they will consult the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the wizards;

Young's Literal Translation
And emptied out hath been in its midst the spirit of Egypt. And its counsel I swallow up, And they have sought unto the idols, And unto the charmers, And unto those having familiar spirits, And unto the wizards.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confound their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead And to mediums and spiritists.

Contextual Overview

¹ The birthun of Egipt. Lo! the Lord schal stie on a liyt cloude, and he schal entre in to Egipt; and the symilacris of Egipt schulen be mouyd fro his face, and the herte of Egipt schal faile in the myddis therof. ² And Y schal make Egipcians to renne togidere ayens Egipcians, and a man schal fiyte ayens his brother, and a man ayens his frend, a citee ayens a citee, and a rewme ayens a rewme. ³ And the spirit of Egipt schal be brokun in the entrailis therof, and Y schal caste doun the councel therof; and thei schulen axe her symylacris, and her false diuinouris, and her men that han vncleene spiritis spekinge in the wombe, and her dyuynouris bi sacrifices maad on auteris to feendis. ⁴ And Y schal bitake Egipt in to the hond of cruel lordis, and a strong kyng schal be lord of hem, seith the Lord God of oostis. ⁵ And watir of the see schal wexe drie, and the flood schal be desolat, and schal be dried. ⁶ And the floodis schulen faile, and the strondis of the feeldis schulen be maad thynne, and schulen be dried; a rehed and spier schal fade. ⁷ The botme of watir schal be maad nakid, and stremys fro her welle; and the moiste place of al seed schal be dried, schal waxe drie, and schal not be. ⁸ And fischeris schulen morne, and alle that casten hook in to the flood, schulen weile; and thei that spreden abrood a net on the face of watris, schulen fade. ⁹ Thei schulen be schent, that wrouyten flex, foldynge and ordeynynge sutil thingis. ¹⁰ And the watir places therof schulen be drye; alle that maden poondis to take fischis, schulen be schent.

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

Cross-References

Genesis 19:6
And Loth yede out to hem `bihynde the bak, and closide the dore,

Genesis 19:8
Y haue twey douytris, that knewen not yit man; Y schal lede out hem to you, and mys vse ye hem as it plesith you, so that ye doon noon yuel to these men, for thei entriden vndur the schadewe of my roof.

Genesis 19:28
and al the lond of that cuntrey; and he seiy a deed sparcle stiynge fro erthe, as the smoke of a furneis.

Genesis 19:29
For whanne God distriede the citees of that cuntrey, he hadde mynde of Abraham, and delyuerede Loth fro destriynge of the citees in whiche he dwellide.

Genesis 21:8
Therfor the child encreesside, and was wenyd; and Abraham made a greet feeste in the dai of his wenyng.

Exodus 12:15
In seuene daies ye schulen ete therf breed; in the firste dai no thing diyt with sour douy schal be in youre housis; who euer schal ete ony thing diyt with sour douy, fro the firste dai til the seuenthe dai, that soule schal perische fro Israel.

Exodus 12:39
And thei bakiden meele, which spreynd to gidere `a while ago thei token fro Egipt, and maden therf looues bakun vnder the aischis; for the looues miyten not be diyt with sour dow, for Egipcians compelliden to go out, and suffriden not to make ony tariyng, nether it was leiser to make ony seew.

Judges 6:19
And so Gedeon entride, and sethide a kide, and took therf looues of a buyschel of mell, and fleischis in a panyere; and he sente the broth of fleischis in a pot, and bar alle thingis vndur an ook, and offride to hym.

1 Samuel 28:24
Sotheli thilke womman hadde a fat calf in the hows, and `sche hastide, and killide hym; and sche took mele, and meddlide it, and made therf breed;

2 Kings 4:8
Forsothe sum day was maad, and Elisee passide bi a citee, Sunam; sotheli a greet womman was there, which helde hym, that he schulde ete breed. And whanne he passide ofte therbi, `he turnede to hir, that he schulde ete breed.

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.