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Isaiah 8:20

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— To the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— To the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, [It is] because they have no, dawning day.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— To the law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, 'That there is no dawn to it.'
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— To the law rather, and to the testimony. And if they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— To the Law, and to the testimonie, if they speake not according to this worde: it is because there is no light in them.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— To the Law and to the Testimonie: if they speake not according to this word, [it is] because there is no light in them.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— As for the law and the testimony, if they do not speak according to this word, it is because they do not receive a bribe for it.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— For he has given the law for a help, that they should not speak according to this word, concerning which there are no gifts to give for it.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
To the law 8451
{8451} Prime
תּוֹרָה
towrah
{to-raw'}
From H3384; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch.
and to the testimony: 8584
{8584} Prime
תְּעוּדָה
t@`uwdah
{teh-oo-daw'}
From H5749; attestation, that is, a precept, usage.
if x518
(0518) Complement
אִם
'im
{eem}
A primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogitive, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence as a negative, not.
they speak 559
{0559} Prime
אָמַר
'amar
{aw-mar'}
A primitive root; to say (used with great latitude).
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
not x3808
(3808) Complement
לֹא
lo'
{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
according to this x2088
(2088) Complement
זֶה
zeh
{zeh}
A primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that.
word, 1697
{1697} Prime
דָּבָר
dabar
{daw-baw'}
From H1696; a word; by implication a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially a cause.
[it is] because x834
(0834) Complement
אֲשֶׁר
'asher
{ash-er'}
A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
[there is] no x369
(0369) Complement
אַיִן
'ayin
{ah'-yin}
As if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle.
light 7837
{7837} Prime
שַׁחַר
shachar
{shakh'-ar}
From H7836; dawn (literally, figuratively or adverbially).
in them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Isaiah 8:20

_ _ To the law, etc. — the revelation of God by His prophet (Isaiah 8:16), to which he directs them to refer those who would advise necromancy.

_ _ if they speak not ... it is becauseEnglish Version understands “they” as the necromancers. But the Hebrew rendered “because” is not this but “who”; and “if not,” ought rather to be “shall they not”; or, truly they shall speak according to this word, who have no morning light (so the Hebrew, that is, prosperity after the night of sorrows) dawning on them [Maurer and G. V. Smith]. They who are in the dark night of trial, without a dawn of hope, shall surely say so, Do not seek, as we did, to necromancy, but to the law,” etc. The law perhaps includes here the law of Moses, which was the “Magna Charta” on which prophetism commented [Kitto].

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Isaiah 8:16-22.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Isaiah 8:20

To the law — Let this dispute between you and them be determined by God's word, which is here and in many other places called the law, to signify their obligation to believe and obey it; and the testimony, because it is a witness between God and man, of God's will, and of man's duty. They — Your antagonists. No light — This proceeds from the darkness of their minds, they are blind, and cannot see.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Isaiah 8:20

To the (y) law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no (z) light in them.

(y) Seek remedy in the word of God, where his will is declared.

(z) They have no knowledge but are blind leaders of the blind.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
the law:

Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
Luke 10:26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luke 16:29-31 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ... And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
John 5:46-47 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. ... But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Galatians 3:8-29 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed. ... And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 4:21-22 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? ... For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ... That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

it is:

Isaiah 30:8-11 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: ... Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Psalms 19:7-8 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple. ... The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalms 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Jeremiah 8:9 The wise [men] are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom [is] in them?
Micah 3:6 Therefore night [shall be] unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
Matthew 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Mark 7:7-9 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. ... And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

light:
Heb. morning,
Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Ps 19:7; 119:130. Pv 4:18. Is 8:16; 30:8. Jr 8:9. Ho 6:3. Mi 3:6. Mal 4:2. Mt 6:23; 22:29. Mk 7:7. Lk 10:26; 16:29. Jn 5:39, 46. Ac 17:11. Ro 1:22. Ga 3:8; 4:21. 2Ti 3:15. 2P 1:9, 19.

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