Isaiah 19:3

Isa 19:3 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.

Ver. 3. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail.] Fail and falter; their wits shall not serve them, but be drained and emptied, as the Hebrew word here signifieth. By spirit, here understand their wisdom, learning, and sharpness, for the which they were famous among, and frequented by other nations. Moses was skilled in their learning. {Act 7:23} Pythagoras, Plato, Solon, Anaxagoras, and other philosophers got much by them. Mercurius Trismegist saith of Egypt, that it was the image of heaven, and the temple of the whole world. By spirit here, some understand their familiar spirits. {a} See Lev 19:31.

And they shall seek to the idols.] Whereof they had great store (so that they were derided by other idolaters), but their chief deity was Latona, saith Herodotus.

And to the charmers.] Who have their name in Hebrew from their low or slow speaking.

{a} Aug. De Civit. Dei, lib. viii. cap. 14.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19:3 Idols . . . spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead were called upon in an attempt to ward off impending destruction (see 8:19-22; 47:12-13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, their policy and wisdom.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

spirit--wisdom, for which Egypt was famed (Isa 31:2; Kg1 4:30; Act 7:22); answering to "counsel" in the parallel clause.

fail--literally, "be poured out," that is, be made void (Jer 19:7). They shall "seek" help from sources that can afford none, "charmers," &c. (Isa 8:19).

charmers--literally, "those making a faint sound"; the soothsayers imitated the faint sound which was attributed to the spirits of the dead (see on Isa 8:19).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 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 De 18:10, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) The charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits . . .—The old reputation of Egypt for magic arts (Exo_7:22; Exo_8:7) seems to have continued. The “charmers” or mutterers were probably distinguished, like “those that peep” in Isa_8:19, by some peculiar form of ventriloquism. A time of panic, when the counsels of ordinary statesmen failed, was sure there, as at Athens in its times of peril, to be fruitful in oracles and divinations.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. the spirit of Egypt shall fail] lit. be poured out, cf. Jer_19:7. “Spirit” is here used of intellectual power, as “heart” in Isa_19:1 denotes courage.

I will destroy] or “swallow up,” “annihilate,” but see on ch. Isa_3:12. In their desperation the Egyptians betake themselves to incantations, a sign in Isaiah’s view of hopeless intellectual embarrassment; ch. Isa_8:19. The word rendered charmers means “mutterers” (of magical spells). For the other expressions employed, see ch. Isa_8:19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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, Act 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 Isa 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; See Gill on Isa 8:19.

(y) "evacuabitur", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Cocceius. (z) "deglutiam", Montanus; "absorpsero", Junius & Tremellius; "absorbebo", Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the spirit of Egypt - (see Isa 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 nâbeqâh). 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 Psa 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 Isa 8:19). The Septuagint renders it, ‘Their idols.’

And to them that have familiar spirits - (see the note at Isa 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 Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; Deu 18:11). This fake science abounded in Egypt, and in most Oriental countries.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Egypt. Septuagint, "of the Egyptians shall be troubled within them." (Haydock) --- Soothsayers. Feeble but too common resource of superstitious people!

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The spirit; either

1. Their courage. But of that he spake Isa 19:1. Or,

2. Their understanding, as it is explained in the next clause; for the word spirit is oft put for the reasonable soul, as Ecc 3:21; 12:7, and for the thoughts of the mind, as Pro 29:11; Eze 13.

3. They shall seek to the idols, as not knowing what to do without the help of a higher power.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. And the spirit of Egypt — That is, Egypt’s wisdom, its customary wisdom, shall fail, or, as in the literal Hebrew, shall be emptied or poured out, in that while overwhelmed in their troubles they look not to Jehovah for help, but to their idols. To these, rather, did they seek; and to the charmers, persons who pretended to imitate the softly suppressed voices of the under world, and to them that have familiar spirits, who employed themselves in invoking the manes of the dead by magical incantations, and to the wizards, that is, lying prophets of every kind.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They shall seek to the idols. The Egyptians believed that their gods gave them oracles. Menephthah claims to have been warned by Phthah, the god of Memphis, not to take the field in person against the Libyans when they invaded the Delta, but to leave the task of contending with them to his generals (Brugsch, "History of Egypt," vol. 2. p. 119). Herodotus speaks of there being several well-known oracular shrines in Egypt, the most trustworthy being that of Maut, at the city which he calls Buto (2. 152; comp. Isaiah 111). The charmers... them that have familiar spirits... wizards. Classes of men corresponding to the "magicians" and "wise men" of earlier times. (Gen_41:8) (On the large place which magic occupied in the thoughts of the Egyptians, see "Pulpit Commentary" on Exo_7:11) There was no diminution of the confidence reposed in them as time went on; and some remains of their practices seem to survive to the present day.

Temptation to trust in diviners.

"They shall seek... to the charmers." "A time of panic, when the counsels of ordinary statesmen failed, was sure in Egypt, as at Athens in its times of peril, to be fruitful in oracles and divinations." The most remarkable instance recorded in Scripture is that of King Saul, who in his extremity, and after having himself driven the witches out of his land, imperiled his life to consult the witch of Endor. And even in these days there are most curious survivals of the old spirit, in the consultations of fortune-tellers, and the confidence placed in the guesses of prophesiers, and the vague generalities of so-called astrologers. Large numbers of ignorant and only partly educated people hold to this day their confidence in lucky and unlucky times, and their fears of thirteen at the table, the ticking of the death-watch, and the coffin-shaped cinder. In times of national distress men who pretend to prophesy find their harvest, and trade upon the fears and hopes of men.

I THE UNIVERSAL DESIRE TO PIERCE THE UNSEEN AND THE FUTURE. On this desire rests the success of modern spiritualism. Where there is no restful confidence in God"s love and lead, men try to force aside the veils that hide God and God"s purposes from mortal view. Man can do so much in the present that he is fretted and annoyed because he can get no guarantees for tomorrow, and every day must act upon the uncertainty whether, for him, there will be any to-morrow. After this life, what then? Men are angry because no fellow-man has ever answered that question or ever can. Revelation from God can alone relieve the mystery. Show how in all ages men have peered into the dark future, and been compelled to confess that they could see nothing but the "folds of the wondrous veil.

II THE MORAL REASONS WHY THE FUTURE IS HIDDEN FROM US.

1. It is necessary for our probation.

2. It prevents procrastination by impression of the supreme value of now.

3. It keeps from the self-security which nourishes free indulgence in sin. 4. It makes our life manifestly a life of faith.

III THE REST WHICH RELIGION GIVES FROM THE CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE. Religion brings God into direct relations, and gracious relations, with the individual. Past, present, future, are all in God"s control. If the soul is in right relations with God, the present is his overruling, and the future is his provision. If we are with God, all is well, here or there. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The spirit - Their courage.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied out (or exhausted) in the midst thereof, and the counsel (or sagacity) thereof I will swallow up (annihilate or render useless), and they will seek to the idols, and to the mutterers, and to the familiar spirits, and to the wizards.” By spirit, in the first clause, we are not to understand courage but intellect. As to the ancient mode of incantation, see above, Isa 8:19.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The spirit of Egypt will be weakened from within. I will destroy his advice

The nation of Egypt is spoken of here as if it was a person. (See: Personification)

The spirit of Egypt will be weakened from within

This can be expressed in active form. AT: "I will weaken the spirit of Egypt from within" (See: Active or Passive)

I will destroy his advice, though they sought the advice of ... spiritualists

"They sought the advice of ... spiritualists, but that will do them no good. It will not stop me from destroying his advice"

I will destroy his advice

Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh will cause the advice that he gives to be ineffective or 2) Yahweh will cause him to be unable to give any advice. This can be reworded so that the abstract noun "advice" is expressed as the verb "advise." AT: "I will confuse those who advise the king" (See: Abstract Nouns)

mediums ... spiritualists

These are people who claim to speak with those who have died.

I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a harsh master

Here "hand" refers to power or control. AT: "I will give the Egyptians over to the control of a harsh master" (See: Metonymy)

this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. Translate as in Isaiah 3:15. AT: "this is what the Lord Yahweh of hosts has declared" or "this is what I, the Lord Yahweh of hosts, have declared" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

spirit

Egypt

advice

false god

hand

lord

king

declare

lord

Yahweh of hosts

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the spirit of Egypt shall empty out Heb. וְנָבְקָה. His wisdom shall be emptied out. Comp. (infra 24:1) “Empties out (בּוֹקֵק) the land.”

sorcerers Heb. הָאִטִּים, one of the names of the idols.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ונבקה And shall fail. Root בקק to empty. Comp. בוקק maketh empty (24:1). נבקה is Niphal of בקק, and is formed like נסבה and it will be wound about (Ez. 41:7).

אטים Charmers. Comp. אט softly (1 Kings 21:27); אטים signifies things that are done secretly.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.