Isaiah 8:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If you squander additional resources in pursuit of the insights of soothsayers for the sake of lost riches, what value will you gain if you uncover mere illusions? Along with your material wealth, you risk becoming enslaved, leading to the destruction of your spirit, and no one will come to your aid.

Let us clarify what a soothsayer is: they are evil spirits that speak through human vessels, attempting to make falsehoods appear true. Their utterances do not arise naturally but are muddled and misleading, ensnaring the ignorant in wonder and convincing them of their authenticity. Aquila identifies them as augurs who utter deceptive voices; Symmachus refers to them as soothsayers who murmur and hiss; Theodotion likens them to clucking fowl. Arching here also points to necromancy, where the devil uses these strange voices to confound people, as is noted by various translators. Demonic entities often mimic birds' calls—what the Septuagint interpreters labeled as "vanity" (κενολογία)—to propagate deceptions from various sources through unusual sounds.

Although these demons possess a deceptive ability to convince people that they can summon the spirits of the departed, we affirm that when a soul leaves its earthly body, it enters a specific abode and cannot depart from there. The demon falsely suggests that these souls wander freely, unbound by any authority or divine oversight, and will remain unpunished for their actions. This narrative reinforces the erroneous belief among many that souls drift aimlessly after death. Such notions are mere myths, often embraced by the naive and elderly, and one should be cautious not to believe in these fanciful tales.

In a notable instance, the witch of Endor, permitted by God, summoned the figure of Samuel for Saul to illustrate the reality of resurrection, albeit it was not a true resurrection, aiming to teach him that God governs both the living and the dead. The figure Saul encountered did not truly embody Samuel, yet it did not deter him from seeking a connection with God. (1 Samuel 28:7-14ff). Furthermore, those who engage in such practices resemble the Gentiles who call upon false deities. They are distanced from God, just as Saul was, who, in seeking the prophetess's counsel, found no relief but instead faced the gravest retribution: he met his tragic end before his time. Observe how he mocks them: "Do the dead inquire of the living?" (What do the dead wish to know about those still alive?) By "the dead," he refers either to demons or the departed themselves. This serves as sufficient evidence to expose the fallacy. If the living lack understanding, how much less should we assign knowledge to those who lie lifeless in the earth, oblivious to even what we comprehend.

But you, He states, if anyone approaches you claiming, 'Consult the earth for those who wail, that is, those who feign to call forth the dead and offer predictions as if they were sourced from the underworld, or the ventriloquists who feign to carry divine beings within them and speak as if on their behalf: disregard their counsel. For their utterances emerge solely from their own minds, and they are not a wise people qualified to seek God and learn from Him. Instead, direct to those who offer such advice, the question: What insight do the dead possess about the living? Observe how this inquiry sharpens discernment. For He not only instructs them to shun ignorance and erroneous thoughts, but He also admonishes them to guide those who are lost wisely, as it is written, 'Ask, What do the dead know of the living?' This is a perfectly rational human consideration. Indeed, what justification exists for seeking knowledge from the spirits resting in the earth or perhaps in the realm of the dead regarding the living? Moreover, it is utterly absurd to listen to the prophecies arising from the remains of the dead and the deceptive notions of magicians who possess dead minds and barren hearts. They lack knowledge of the Creator of all and do not harbor the life-giving Word of God within them; furthermore, they are devoted to lifeless deeds. Thus, how could the living—those who carry within them the revitalizing breath from above and have been enriched with the living Word of God—seek counsel from the dead concerning their own lives?

Demons can offer such insights concerning bodily ailments—having a greater understanding of the physical properties and effectiveness of various herbs—while concerning the future, they may foretell events that have already occurred, obscured from our knowledge, and present them as future revelations. For instance, a messenger, upon hearing of someone’s arrival, may proclaim it to those waiting as if it were an upcoming event; such trickery is designed to gain the glory of being regarded as a prophet. Thus, demons frequently deceive people, claiming what has already transpired as divine foreknowledge. An example is the ventriloquist who, through demonic means, foretold Saul’s impending defeat. These demons masqueraded as Samuel, passing off God’s decree as their own since they were aware of Saul’s judgment. Consequently, pagans seek to ensnare us in the traps of demons, urging us to consult ‘sorcerers and earthly spirits,’ for they would not dare to claim their words originate from heaven, much like the witch who spoke with Saul, declaring, ‘I see gods ascending from the earth’ (1 Sam. 28:7-13). Similarly, ventriloquists pretend to summon the souls of the deceased to divulge desired information. The Prophet critiques such deceptions, recognizing ventriloquists as uttering futile words, stating, ‘Vain vain men who speak from the womb,’ meaning they articulate out of their own volition. The ventriloquist does not relay borrowed speech but fabricates lies motivated by the audience's desires, thus leading the naive into deception. Alternatively, ‘from the belly speaketh’ might reference those ‘whose god is their belly’ (Phil. 3:19), who prioritize indulgence in food and drink above all. Therefore, it is appropriate to designate those who masquerade as teachers for the sake of satisfying their appetites as ‘vainglorious.’ This is justified, as one who instructs without practicing what they teach is unlikely to provide useful guidance. The statement, ‘shall not the tongue cry unto its God?’ conveys a similar sentiment. Each nation poses queries to its deity regarding the wisdom it seeks. To clarify this expression, it suffices to frame what is read as a question: ‘shall not the tongue cry unto its God?’ Consequently, those alien to our worship, in accordance with their recognized deities, must also pose their inquiries; however, those who venerate the gods of the dead question them about the living. The Prophet designates the dead as soulless idols—formed of stone, wood, brass, and gold—or refers to those who, through their rebellion, have forfeited true life. Perhaps the entire practice of so-called ventriloquists revolves around tombs, drawing on the power of sorcery from there. The prophetic voice, expressing disdain for the foolishness of idolaters, questions, ‘What do the dead know of the living?’ Why would you, an animated being, worship a stone? Why, as a rational being, would you seek counsel from the dead? For what purpose do you plead with a lifeless entity on behalf of a living son? Whether you consult a soothsayer or undertake rituals for purification, you are seeking counsel from the dead, who have themselves forfeited life and will lead you to spiritual death through disobedience.

Instead, consult the practitioners of necromancy or those who murmur their enchantments." Conversely, the LXX translates this in the sense of "from the earth speaking, from the womb crying out," for it is declared that "whoever comes from the earth speaks from the earth" (John 3:31), and he who bears God’s essence and glory in his humility (Phil. 3:16) should be seen as speaking from the womb. You could then respond to them: "Does not the people inquire of their God, and seek the living on behalf of the dead?" He mentions, "If you, due to the variety of your idols (for you possess not one, but many deities), turn to those you deem gods and seek the living from the dead or from the representations of deceased individuals, how much more should we seek to listen to our God, who communicates through the prophets?" However, as previously stated, if it is declared in Christ’s person, "Behold, I and my children, whom God has given me," He likewise addresses this to the apostles and the Gentile believers who embraced His gospel. If your ancestors, whom you have abandoned, were to say, "Consult the ventriloquists" (by which we mean soothsayers, and the maid in Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:16), who served as a source for their masters' wealth), these ventriloquists speak from the earth, promising to summon souls and claiming to perform magic. Every nation indeed turns to its deities to seek insights from the dead regarding the living’s well-being, but to you, God has endowed the law as a guide. The Nazarenes interpret this passage in this manner: When the scribes and Pharisees urge you to heed them, who engage in gluttony and murmur like sorcerers with their incantations, your response should be: "It is no wonder you adhere to your traditions, for every nation seeks after its idols; therefore, we ought not to consult you regarding the dead and the living, for God has bestowed upon us the law and the testimonies of the Scriptures."

The phrase "shouting from the earth" refers to magicians who, through incantations, summon the spirits from the depths, akin to the medium of Endor who invoked the spirit of Samuel (1 Sam. 28:7, etc.). Those who engage in "vain talk" are essentially ventriloquists who produce sound without utilizing normal speech, rendering their utterances largely meaningless, though the credulous ascribe significant meaning to their words. Should anyone suggest that the Israelites seek assistance from these purveyors of blatant pagan superstition, the prophet implores them to dismiss such notions, asking, “Should not the people turn to their God?” A similar retort was given by Elijah when he confronted the messengers sent by King Ahaziah of Israel, who were inquiring of the pagan god regarding their king's recovery: “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?” (2 Kings 1:3). The prophet questions whether the dead can seek wisdom from the living, emphasizing that no genuine revelation concerning the living can come from those who, according to the Old Testament perspective (Psalm 6:6), have no expression of spiritual existence after death. If any answers are purportedly received from the deceased, they actually originate from malevolent spirits operating through them to lead humanity to ruin. A similar caution can be applied to the phenomenon of spiritualism today.