King James Version

Isaiah 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?

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Hebrew

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וְכִֽיvekhiand assuredכִּיconjunction, conjunction — “and assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יֹאמְר֣וּyomrvsayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “say”, an unfinished actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֲלֵיכֶ֗םaleykhemamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).דִּרְשׁ֤וּdirshvaskדָּרַשׁverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “ask”, a commandH1875properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worshipask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הָאֹבוֹת֙haovotthe bottleאוֹבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the bottle”, the ordinary formH178properly, a mumble, i.e. a water skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar)bottle, familiar spirit.וְאֶלveeland amongאֵלconjunction, preposition — “and among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔יםhayidonimthe wizardיִדְּעֹנִיdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the wizard”, the ordinary formH3049properly, a knowing one; specifically, a conjurer; (by impl) a ghostwizard.הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖יםhamtsaftsefimthe chatterצָפַףdefinite article, verb, pilpel, participle, absolute — “the chatter”, a verb used as a describing wordH6850to coo or chirp (as a bird)chatter, peep, whisper.וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑יםvehamahgimand the imagineהָגָהconjunction, definite article, verb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “and the imagine”, a verb used as a describing wordH1897to murmur (in pleasure or anger); by implication, to ponderimagine, meditate, mourn, mutter, roar, [idiom] sore, speak, study, talk, utter.הֲלוֹאhalono , -r,לֹאparticle, interrogative, particle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…עַם֙ampeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אֱלֹהָ֣יוelohayvGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.יִדְרֹ֔שׁyidroshaskדָּרַשׁverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “ask”, an unfinished actionH1875properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worshipask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.בְּעַ֥דbeadat byבְּעַדpreposition — “at by”H1157in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc.about, at by (means of), for, over, through, up (-on), within.הַחַיִּ֖יםhachayimthe lifeחַיdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַמֵּתִֽיםhametimthe dieמוּתdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the die”, a verb used as a describing wordH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?

Young’s Literal Translation

And when they say unto you, 'Seek unto those having familiar spirits, And unto wizards, who chatter and mutter, Doth not a people seek unto its God? — For the living unto the dead!

World English Bible

When they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter,” shouldn’t a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Darby Translation

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto the necromancers and unto the soothsayers, who chirp and who mutter, [say,] Shall not a people seek unto their God? [Will they go] for the living unto the dead?

Douay-Rheims

And when they shall say to you: Seek of pythons, and of diviners, who mutter in their enchantments: should not the people seek of their God, for the living of the dead?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And if they should say to you, Seek those who have in them a divining spirit, and them that speak out of the earth, them that speak vain words, who speak out of their belly: shall not a nation diligently seek to their God? why do they seek to the dead concerning the living?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐὰν εἴπωσι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ζητήσατε τοὺς ἐγγαστριμύθους, καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς φωνοῦντας, τοὺς κενολογοῦντας, οἳ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας φωνοῦσιν· οὐκ ἔθνος πρὸς Θεὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσουσι; τί ἐκζητοῦσι περὶ τῶν ζώντων τοὺς νεκρούς;