Yesaya 8:19

Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives

8:19 ¹ They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. ²  Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?” ³ 

Yesaya 48:11

48:11 For my sake alone ⁴  I will act,

for how can I allow my name to be defiled? ⁵ 

I will not share my glory with anyone else! ⁶ 

Yesaya 56:6

56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of ⁷  the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to ⁸  my covenant –

Yesaya 59:10

59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,

we grope like those who cannot see; ⁹ 

we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.

Though others are strong, we are like dead men. ¹⁰ 

[8:19]  ¹ tn It is uncertain if the prophet or the Lord is speaking in vv. 19-22. If the latter, then vv. 19-22 resume the speech recorded in vv. 12-15, after the prophet’s response in vv. 16-18.

[8:19]  ² tn Heb “inquire of the ritual pits and of the magicians who chirp and mutter.” The Hebrew word אוֹב (’ov, “ritual pit”) refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits. In 1 Sam 28:7 the witch of Endor is called a אוֹב-בַּעֲלַת (ba’alat-’ov, “owner of a ritual pit”). See H. Hoffner, “Second Millennium Antecedents to the Hebrew ’OñBù,” JBL 86 (1967): 385-401.

[8:19]  ³ tn Heb “Should a nation not inquire of its gods on behalf of the living, (by inquiring) of the dead?” These words appear to be a continuation of the quotation begun in the first part of the verse. אֱלֹהָיו (’elohayv) may be translated “its gods” or “its God.” Some take the second half of the verse as the prophet’s (or the Lord’s) rebuke of the people who advise seeking oracles at the ritual pits, but in this case the words “the dead on behalf of the living” are difficult to explain.

[48:11]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text repeats לְמַעֲנִי (lÿma’ani, “for my sake”) for emphasis.

[48:11]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “for how can it be defiled?” The subject of the verb is probably “name” (v. 9).

[48:11]  ⁶ sn See 42:8.

[56:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”

[56:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”

[59:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”

[59:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”