Teks -- Isaiah 19:3 (NET)

19:3 The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.

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Wesley: Isa 19:3 - The spirit

Their courage.

JFB: Isa 19:3 - spirit

Wisdom, for which Egypt was famed (Isa 31:2; 1Ki 4:30; Act 7:22); answering to "counsel" in the parallel clause.

JFB: Isa 19:3 - fail

Literally, "be poured out," that is, be made void (Jer 19:7). They shall "seek" help from sources that can afford none, "charmers," &c. (Isa 8:19).

JFB: Isa 19:3 - charmers

Literally, "those making a faint sound"; the soothsayers imitated the faint sound which was attributed to the spirits of the dead (see on Isa 8:19).

Clarke: Isa 19:3 - 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 has already been given where they occur in the Pentateuch. See Deu 18:10, etc.

Calvin: Isa 19:3 - And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied // Even though they seek it

3.And the spirit of Egypt shall be emptied ²⁷ As Isaiah had, a little before, deprived the Egyptians of courage, so he now takes away their understanding, both of which are exceedingly necessary for the defense of kingdoms; for when these have been taken away, there is no possibility of transacting national affairs. Now, the Egyptians had so high an opinion of their own wisdom, that they reckoned themselves superior to other nations; and it is well known that they haughtily despised all other nations as barbarians, as if there had been no civilization, refinement, learning, or skill, but in Egypt alone. They boasted that they were the inventors of learning, that philosophy and astronomy came from them, and, in short, that Egypt was the workshop of all the liberal arts; and therefore they would never have thought it possible that they should fail in wisdom and prudence, and unquestionably, if this prediction had come to their knowledge, they would have laughed at it in disdain, and would have thought, that sooner would the waters of the sea be dried up, and everything be overturned, than this should befall those who imagined that prudence was their birthright. But Isaiah declares it boldly, for he did not speak from himself.

Again, since he had predicted that they would be deprived of courage, in which they excelled, the context requires us to understand the meaning to be, that they would be struck with blindness; for both faculties of the soul depend entirely on the favor of God. Consequently, רוח ( rūăch) means here understanding and sagacity, which ought to be carefully observed, for many are mistaken as to the meaning of this word. When he immediately adds, I will destroy the counsel thereof, this is a stronger expression of the former statement; for it shews what is the cause of that emptiness, namely, that God will take and carry away their counsel.

Even though they seek it This is spoken by anticipation, for he meets the objections of the Egyptians, who might have said, “Have we not gods whom we can consult? Have we not magicians, diviners, and soothsayers? Do you reckon those to be of no value?” He threatens that all these things will be of no avail to them, to whatever extent they may rely on them, and be puffed up with the empty name of wisdom. I shall not spend much time on these names, though it is probable that Isaiah’s enumeration proceeds by gradual advancement. First, he mentions gods, next magicians, and afterwards diviners and fortune-tellers They had their oracles, in which they placed the highest confidence. Next after them came the magicians, though these too had great influence. In matters of smaller moment they consulted the soothsayers. Superstitious men are so restless that nothing can satisfy them; for they are fickle and unsteady, and sometimes resort to one remedy and sometimes to another; and indeed Satan deceives them in such a manner, that at first he holds out to them the appearance of peace and quietness, which they think that they have fully obtained, but afterwards shews them that they have not reached it, and distresses and harasses them more and more, and compels them to seek new grounds of confidence. Thus our minds cannot obtain rest and peace but in God alone. And undoubtedly the Prophet condemns those arts as contrary to reason; for God has revealed all that is necessary to be known by means of the arts and sciences, which he intended to be used, and of which he approves. If any man shall wish to be wise in any other manner, he must have Satan for his teacher.

Defender: Isa 19:3 - familiar spirits

More than most of the other pagan nations around Israel, Egypt was involved in occult beliefs and practices, for example, the magicians at the court of Pharaoh at the time of Moses. But such practices would utterly fail them in a time of God's judgment as any nation that becomes committed to such blasphemies."

TSK: Isa 19:3 - the spirit // fail // and I // destroy // and they

the spirit : This is a prophecy of what took place in Egypt about twenty-two years after the destruction of Sennacherib’ s army; when, upon the death of Tirhakah (bc 688), not being able to settle about the succession, they continued for two years in a state of anarchy, confusion, and civil wars; which was followed by the tyranny of twelve princes, who, dividing the country among them, governed it for fifteen years; and at last, by the sole dominion of Psammiticus, which he held for fifty-four years. Isa 19:1, Isa 19:11-13, Isa 57:16; 1Sa 25:37; Psa 76:12; Jer 46:15; Eze 21:7, Eze 22:14

fail : Heb. be emptied

and I : Isa 14:27; 2Sa 15:31, 2Sa 17:14, 2Sa 17:23; 2Ch 25:16-20; Job 5:12, Job 5:13; Pro 21:30; 1Co 3:19, 1Co 3:20

destroy : Heb. swallow up, Psa 107:27 *marg.

and they : Isa 8:19, Isa 15:2, Isa 44:25, Isa 47:12; 1Ch 10:13; Dan 2:2, Dan 4:6, Dan 4:7, Dan 5:7

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 19:3 - The spirit

The spirit either

1. Their courage. But of that he spake Isa 19:1 . Or,

2. Their understanding, as it is explained in the next clause; for the word spirit is oft put for the reasonable soul, as Ecc 3:21 12:7 , and for the thoughts of the mind, as Pro 29:11 Eze 13 .

3. They shall seek to the idols as not knowing what to do without the help of a higher power.

Haydock: Isa 19:3 - Egypt // Soothsayers

Egypt. Septuagint, "of the Egyptians shall be troubled within them." (Haydock) ---

Soothsayers. Feeble but too common resource of superstitious people!

Gill: Isa 19:3 - And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof // and I will destroy the counsels thereof // and they shall seek to the idols // and to the charmers // and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof,.... Meaning not the spirit of valour and courage, that is expressed before, but of wisdom, prudence, and understanding; the wisdom of Egypt, in which Moses is said to be brought up, Act 7:22 was famous all the world over; hither men of learning, as the ancient philosophers, Pythagoras, Plato, and others, travelled, to improve in knowledge, and gain a larger acquaintance with things human and divine; it was the mother and mistress of the liberal arts and sciences; but now what was before like a river full of water, was about to be "emptied", and drained dry, as the word ^y used signifies:

and I will destroy the counsels thereof; or "swallow them up" ^z, so that they shall be no more seen, or take effect: this explains what is before meant by the spirit of Egypt, and which is further enlarged on, and illustrated in Isa 19:11,

and they shall seek to the idols; with which the land abounded, particularly to Osiris and Isis, to Apis, Latona, and others:

and to the charmers; that used incantations and spells; magicians and conjurers, that whispered and muttered; for the word used has the signification of speaking in a slow and drawling manner. The Targum renders it "witches"; but Jarchi takes it to be the name of an idol:

and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards; See Gill on Isa 8:19.