Isaiah 8:19 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When people turn to mediums and spiritists in their distress, they are asking the wrong question and turning in the wrong direction.
The Context of Isaiah 8:19
Isaiah warns against a common response to crisis: the desperate turn to mediums and spiritists rather than to the living God.
What Does Isaiah 8:19 Mean?
Desperate people in times of crisis often turn to forbidden practices: seeking out 'familiar spirits' (mediums who contact the dead) and 'wizards that peep and mutter' (practitioners of divination and séance). The rhetorical question 'should not a people seek unto their God?' contrasts the futility of seeking the dead with the power of seeking the living God. The dead cannot restore; only the living God can.
The phrase 'for the living to the dead' (or 'should the living seek the dead?') exposes the absurdity: the spiritually alive should turn to the living God, not the dead. Those engaging in spiritism are placing their hopes in communion with the departed rather than communion with the eternal God. This is not merely forbidden by law, but spiritually senseless—seeking life from the dead.
Isaiah 8:19 in the Original Language
familiar spirits (אוֹב, 'ov), 'familiar spirit'—a spirit bound to a medium, supposedly enabling contact with the dead; forbidden practice in the Law.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 8:19
What does Isaiah 8:19 mean?
When people turn to mediums and spiritists in their distress, they are asking the wrong question and turning in the wrong direction.
What is the context of Isaiah 8:19?
Isaiah warns against a common response to crisis: the desperate turn to mediums and spiritists rather than to the living God.