Isaiah 8:19
And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse isn't just a condemnation of seeking out mediums and necromancers; it's a profound rhetorical question highlighting the absurdity of turning to the dead for guidance about life. It challenges the fundamental disconnect of consulting those no longer experiencing life's realities for answers about how to live.
Isaiah, speaking for God, addresses the people of Judah who are tempted to consult mediums and sorcerers for guidance instead of trusting in the Lord. The prophet challenges this dangerous practice, highlighting the absurdity of seeking wisdom from the dead when the living God is available. This comes as God is about to bring severe judgment through the Assyrians for their disobedience and reliance on foreign powers.
Imagine seeking advice from someone who can't even speak for themselves. That's the kind of absurd situation God's people were tempted to embrace.
The prophet Isaiah confronts a dangerous temptation: seeking guidance from mediums and necromancers. These individuals claimed to commune with the dead, offering insights into the future or solutions to present problems.
A Mockery of True Wisdom
These practitioners, described as 'chirping and muttering,' used strange, low voices, mimicking what they imagined the dead would sound like. This practice was explicitly forbidden by God (Leviticus 20:27), as it was rooted in deception and a rejection of divine authority.
The Prophet's Counter-Question
Isaiah's response is a sharp rhetorical question: 'Should not a people inquire of their God?' The implication is clear: Why would anyone turn to the silent, powerless dead when the living, all-knowing God is available? This highlights the profound foolishness of seeking answers from those who have no capacity to give them, especially when the source of all wisdom is readily accessible.
In a world full of uncertainty, where do you turn for answers that truly matter? The answer might surprise you.
Isaiah’s message powerfully redirects people from the deceptive practices of necromancy to the singular, life-giving source of truth: God Himself.
God as the Ultimate Oracle
The prophet’s core argument hinges on the nature of God. He is the living God – the originator and sustainer of all life. This stands in stark contrast to the 'dead' whom the mediums claimed to consult. The dead have no power, no knowledge of the present or future concerning the living.
The Absurdity of forsaking Life for Death
Why would anyone, especially a 'people' chosen and covenanted with the living God, turn to the dead? The question is designed to expose the profound irrationality of such a choice. It’s like trying to draw water from a dry, ancient well when a fresh, abundant spring is flowing nearby.
Understand the original words
ob / yidd'oni · Hebrew Noun
Individuals who claim to communicate with spirits, demonic entities, or the dead, strictly forbidden in Scripture as they represent an attempt to bypass God’s revealed truth.
The verse emerges from a time of intense geopolitical pressure where the people of Judah faced threats from Assyria, Syria, and Israel. In this climate of fear, some turned to forbidden occult practices rather than trusting in God, a temptation that Isaiah vehemently condemned.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian military campaigns
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III, conducted extensive military campaigns, expanding its influence and power throughout the Near East. This expansion created a climate of fear and instability.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimitic War
The kings of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) attempted to force Judah into an alliance against Assyria. King Ahaz of Judah refused and instead sought aid from the Assyrians.
c. 733 BC
Assyrian invasion of Israel and Aram
As a result of Ahaz's appeal, the Assyrians invaded and conquered significant portions of Israel and Aram, exiling many inhabitants. This event demonstrated the imminent threat posed by Assyria.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
The capital city of Aram, Damascus, was captured by the Assyrians. This marked a major victory for Assyria and a significant shift in regional power.
This passage describes Saul's desperate act of seeking counsel from a medium, directly mirroring the forbidden practices Isaiah condemns.
Leviticus 19:31This verse explicitly forbids consulting mediums and wizards, reinforcing the divine prohibition against such practices that Isaiah's prophecy addresses.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12These verses list the forbidden practices, including consulting mediums and wizards, which directly parallels the 'familiar spirits' and 'wizards' Isaiah mentions, highlighting the severe consequences of such actions.
Acts 16:16-18This New Testament account shows a spirit of divination being cast out of a slave girl, demonstrating the ongoing reality and spiritual danger of consulting those who claim supernatural knowledge, as condemned in Isaiah.
Jeremiah 29:8-9Jeremiah warns against false prophets and diviners, echoing Isaiah's call to rely on God alone and not on those who claim hidden knowledge, as both prophets address the danger of seeking misleading counsel.
barnesIsaiah 8:19: "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?"
And when they shall say - When the people, instead of putting confidence in God, shall propose to apply to necromancers. In the time of Ahaz the people were, as they were often, much inclined to idolatry; 2 Kings 16:10 . In their troubles and embarrassments, instead of looking to Yahweh, they…
pooleIsaiah 8:19: "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?"
When they, the Israelites, to whom I and my children are signs and wonders, who are fallen from God, and his true religion and worship, into superstition and idolatry, and will endeavour to seduce you into the same impiety, shall say unto you, my children, whom the prophet here arms against t…
The verse isn't just a condemnation of seeking out mediums and necromancers; it's a profound rhetorical question highlighting the absurdity of turning to the dead for guidance about life. It challenges the fundamental disconnect of consulting those no longer experiencing life's realities for answers about how to live.
Isaiah, speaking for God, addresses the people of Judah who are tempted to consult mediums and sorcerers for guidance instead of trusting in the Lord. The prophet challenges this dangerous practice, highlighting the absurdity of seeking wisdom from the dead when the living God is available. This comes as God is about to bring severe judgment through the Assyrians for their disobedience and reliance on foreign powers.
Isaiah, speaking for God, addresses the people of Judah who are tempted to consult mediums and sorcerers for guidance instead of trusting in the Lord. The prophet challenges this dangerous practice, highlighting the absurdity of seeking wisdom from the dead when the living God is available. This comes as God is about to bring severe judgment through the Assyrians for their disobedience and reliance on foreign powers.
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Implications for Us
This principle remains eternally true. True wisdom, guidance, and hope are found not in consulting spiritualistic fads or relying on the wisdom of those who are spiritually 'dead' to God, but in actively seeking the living God through prayer, His Word, and His Spirit. He is the one who gives life and knows the path forward for us.
c. 732-727 BC— this verse
Reign of King Ahaz in Judah
During this turbulent period, King Ahaz of Judah leaned heavily on Assyrian support, adopting foreign religious practices and compromising Judah's spiritual and political independence.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel, despite earlier Assyrian invasions, was eventually conquered and its capital, Samaria, fell. This led to the dispersion of the ten northern tribes.
"And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" — The verse isn't just a condemnation of seeking out mediums and necromancers; it's a profound rhetorical question highlighting the absurdity of turning to the dead for guidance about life. It challeng…
