Isaiah 19:3
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;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights a crucial point: when human wisdom and counsel fail, people turn to spiritualistic or magical practices, not realizing this is a sign of their deeper spiritual emptiness. This desperate seeking of forbidden counsel reveals that their "spirit" has been drained, not just their intellect, leading them to rely on what God explicitly forbids.
God declares that internal strife will bring about the collapse of Egypt's wisdom and leadership. Stripped of their own counsel and courage, the Egyptians will desperately turn to idols, sorcerers, and mediums for help, seeking answers from the very spiritual powers that have led them astray.
Egypt was known for its ancient wisdom and confident spirit. What happens when that confidence crumbles?
The verse says 'the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out.' This doesn't just mean they lose their courage, but their intellectual capacity and wise counsel drain away. Think of it like a well running dry.
A Loss of Ingenuity
Scholars note that 'spirit' here refers to their famed intellectual power and ingenuity, for which Egypt was renowned. When God confounds their counsel, their ability to think, plan, and strategize evaporates. They are left intellectually bankrupt.
The Consequence: Seeking the Wrong Help
This loss of true wisdom leads them to desperately seek help from false sources: idols, sorcerers, mediums, and necromancers. It’s a stark picture of a people grasping at straws when their usual sources of strength and knowledge fail them.
It's not just bad luck; there's a divine hand at work when a nation's plans fall apart.
The phrase 'I will confound their counsel' is a direct declaration of God's active judgment. He doesn't just passively watch their plans fail; He actively disrupts them.
Divine Disruption
When nations or individuals reject God and rely on their own understanding or false deities, God can step in to dismantle their strategies. This isn't about random chaos, but a purposeful intervention that leaves them baffled and their plans in ruins.
From Pride to Desperation
Egypt's pride in its own wisdom made this judgment particularly devastating. They believed themselves to be the pinnacle of knowledge. God's confounding of their counsel strips away this arrogance, forcing them into a desperate search for any means of escape or understanding, even from the occult.
Understand the original words
ruach · Hebrew Noun
In a theological sense, this refers to the inner life, disposition, courage, or mental state of a person or group, often subject to God's judgment or divine intervention.
bala' · Hebrew Verb
The act of confusing, frustrating, or rendering ineffective the plans and strategies of human beings, particularly those who act in opposition to God's will.
'ittim · Hebrew Noun
Those who practice forbidden occult arts, attempting to manipulate spiritual forces or seek hidden knowledge apart from the revealed word of God.
'ob · Hebrew Noun
Those who claim to communicate with spirits or seek information from the dead; such practices are strictly prohibited in Scripture as they bypass God and engage with demonic forces.
The prophecy in Isaiah 19:3 speaks to a time when Egypt, renowned for its wisdom, would face internal division and a spiritual vacuum, leading its people to desperately seek guidance from forbidden sources like idols and sorcerers due to political turmoil and foreign domination.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian influence in Egypt
Egypt was increasingly involved in conflicts and political maneuvering with the Neo-Assyrian Empire, leading to periods of Assyrian dominance and internal instability within Egypt.
c. 671 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Egypt
Esarhaddon of Assyria conquered Egypt, dividing it into various vassal states ruled by native princes. This period brought significant upheaval and a loss of Egyptian sovereignty.
c. 664-627 BC
Saite Renaissance
Under Psamtik I (Psammetichus I), Egypt expelled the Assyrians and began a period of revival, marked by a resurgence of Egyptian culture and military strength.
c. 600 BC
Egyptian involvement in Judah
Egypt was actively involved in the political affairs of the Levant, often clashing with Babylon. This involvement led to interactions with Judah, which Isaiah references.
This verse describes Babylon as a 'golden cup' that made nations drunk, mirroring how Isaiah describes the Egyptians' 'spirit' being emptied out, suggesting a loss of wisdom and stability.
Isaiah 8:19This passage also speaks of people turning to mediums and necromancers, directly paralleling the 'charlmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards' mentioned in Isaiah 19:3, highlighting a desperate reliance on forbidden practices.
Ezekiel 30:13This verse also prophesies the destruction of idols in Egypt, reinforcing the theme in Isaiah 19:3 that their reliance on false gods and occult practices will lead to ruin.
1 Samuel 28:7-9This narrative shows Saul seeking out a medium when he was in great distress, much like the Egyptians in Isaiah 19:3 turning to such forbidden practices when their own wisdom failed them.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12This passage explicitly condemns the practices of seeking out mediums, sorcerers, and necromancers, which directly corresponds to the actions of the Egyptians described in Isaiah 19:3, showing these practices are detestable to God.
cambridgeIsaiah 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."
3 . the spirit of Egypt shall fail ] lit. be poured out , cf. Jeremiah 19:7 . “Spirit” is here used of intellectual power, as “heart” in Isaiah 19:1 denotes courage. I will destroy ] or “swallow up,” “annihilate,” but see on ch. Isaiah 3:12 . In their desperation the Egyp…
clarkeIsaiah 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."
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 debynouris, and their devyl clepers, and their devyl sacristers. - Old Bible. The import of the original words…
The verse highlights a crucial point: when human wisdom and counsel fail, people turn to spiritualistic or magical practices, not realizing this is a sign of their deeper spiritual emptiness. This desperate seeking of forbidden counsel reveals that their "spirit" has been drained, not just their intellect, leading them to rely on what God explicitly forbids.
God declares that internal strife will bring about the collapse of Egypt's wisdom and leadership. Stripped of their own counsel and courage, the Egyptians will desperately turn to idols, sorcerers, and mediums for help, seeking answers from the very spiritual powers that have led them astray.
God declares that internal strife will bring about the collapse of Egypt's wisdom and leadership. Stripped of their own counsel and courage, the Egyptians will desperately turn to idols, sorcerers, and mediums for help, seeking answers from the very spiritual powers that have led them astray.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Isaiah 19:3 is available in the Sola app.
yidde'oni · Hebrew Noun
One who seeks to inquire of the dead; this practice is condemned as an abomination because it rejects God as the sole source of life and wisdom.
c. 589-570 BC
Egyptian support for Judah against Babylon
Egypt supported Judah in its rebellion against Babylon, but this effort ultimately failed, contributing to the final fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian exile.
525 BC
Persian Conquest of Egypt
Cambyses II of Persia conquered Egypt, ending its independence for centuries and ushering in Persian rule, which further destabilized the region.
c. 730 BC— this verse
Isaiah's Prophecy
Isaiah delivers prophecies concerning Egypt, predicting internal strife, the failure of their wisdom and counsel, and their reliance on ineffective spiritualistic practices.
"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;" — The verse highlights a crucial point: when human wisdom and counsel fail, people turn to spiritualistic or magical practices, not realizing this is a sign of their deeper spiritual emptiness. This de…
