Isaiah 19:3

Webster's Bible (1833)

The spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְנָבְקָ֤ה רֽוּחַ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ וַעֲצָת֖וֹ אֲבַלֵּ֑עַ וְדָרְשׁ֤וּ אֶל־הָֽאֱלִילִים֙ וְאֶל־הָ֣אִטִּ֔ים וְאֶל־הָאֹב֖וֹת וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִֽים׃

Transliteration

And-nāḇqāh rûaḥ-Miṣrayim in-qirbô and-ʿăṣātô ʾăḇallēaʿ and-dārĕšû to-the-ʾĕlîlîm and-to-the-ʾiṭṭîm and-to-the-ʾōḇôṯ and-to-the-yiddĕʿōnîm

Grammar Details

• *nāḇqāh*: verb, niphal perfect, 3rd person feminine singular - will be emptied/confused
• *rûaḥ*: noun, feminine singular construct - spirit of
• *Miṣrayim*: proper noun, masculine dual/plural - Egypt
• *qirbô*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - its midst
• *ʿăṣātô*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his counsel/plan
• *ʾăḇallēaʿ*: verb, piel imperfect, 1st person singular - I will confound/swallow up
• *dārĕšû*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they will seek/inquire
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: noun, masculine plural - idols
• *ʾiṭṭîm*: noun, masculine plural - charmers/necromancers
• *ʾōḇôṯ*: noun, masculine plural - mediums/those with familiar spirits
• *yiddĕʿōnîm*: noun, masculine plural - wizards/soothsayers

Word Meanings

• *nāḇqāh*: will be emptied/confused/poured out/wasted away
• *rûaḥ*: spirit/wind/breath/mind/courage
• *ʿăṣātô*: his counsel/plan/advice/wisdom
• *ʾăḇallēaʿ*: I will confound/swallow up/frustrate/ruin
• *dārĕšû*: they will seek/inquire/consult/resort to
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: idols/worthless things/vain things
• *ʾiṭṭîm*: charmers/necromancers/whisperers/murmurers
• *ʾōḇôṯ*: mediums/those with familiar spirits/ghost-conjurers
• *yiddĕʿōnîm*: wizards/soothsayers/fortune-tellers/those who claim supernatural knowledge

Referenced Verses

• Isa 8:19 : 19 When they shall 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? on behalf of the living [should they consult] with the dead?
• Dan 2:2 : 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
• 1 Chr 10:13 : 13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh, which he didn't keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire [thereby],
• 2 Chr 25:16-20 : 16 It happened, as he talked with him, that [the king] said to him, Have we made you of the king's counsel? Stop! Why should you be struck down? Then the prophet stopped, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel. 17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 18 Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. 19 You say, Behold, you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast: abide now at home; why should you meddle to [your] hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? 20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand [of their enemies], because they had sought after the gods of Edom.
• Job 5:12-13 : 12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can't perform their enterprise. 13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness; The counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
• Ps 76:12 : 12 He will cut off the spirit of princes. He is feared by the kings of the earth.
• Ps 107:27 : 27 They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits' end.
• Prov 21:30 : 30 There is no wisdom nor understanding Nor counsel against Yahweh.
• 1 Sam 25:37 : 37 It happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
• 2 Sam 15:31 : 31 One told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
• 2 Sam 17:14 : 14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.
• 2 Sam 17:23 : 23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got him home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.
• Isa 14:27 : 27 For Yahweh of Hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
• Isa 15:2 : 2 They are gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep: Moab wails over Nebo, and over Medeba; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off.
• Isa 19:1 : 1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
• Isa 19:11-13 : 11 The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how do you say to Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? 12 Where then are your wise men? and let them tell you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Hosts has purposed concerning Egypt. 13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the corner-stone of her tribes.
• Isa 44:25 : 25 who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;
• Isa 47:12 : 12 Stand now with your enchantments, and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth; if so be you shall be able to profit, if so be you may prevail.
• Isa 57:16 : 16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls who I have made.
• Jer 46:15 : 15 Why are your strong ones swept away? they didn't stand, because Yahweh did drive them.
• Ezek 21:7 : 7 It shall be, when they tell you, Why do you sigh? that you shall say, Because of the news, for it comes; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.
• Ezek 22:14 : 14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and will do it.
• Dan 4:6-7 : 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation of it.
• Dan 5:7 : 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation of it, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
• 1 Cor 3:19-20 : 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He has taken the wise in their craftiness." 20 And again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless."