To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.
To the law {H8451} and to the testimony {H8584}: if they speak {H559} not according to this word {H1697}, it is because there is no light {H7837} in them.
for teaching and instruction?" For they will indeed give you this unenlightened suggestion.
To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
-
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: -
2 Timothy 3:15
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. -
2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. -
Isaiah 30:8
¶ 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: -
Isaiah 30:11
Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. -
Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, -
John 5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
Isaiah 8:20 serves as a powerful call to spiritual discernment and adherence to God's revealed truth during a time of national crisis for Judah.
Context
In the broader narrative of Isaiah chapter 8, the prophet Isaiah addresses a nation, Judah, that is facing significant geopolitical threats from Assyria and Syria. King Ahaz and the people are tempted to seek supernatural guidance from sources other than God, including mediums and familiar spirits, as highlighted in Isaiah 8:19. This verse, therefore, acts as a divine corrective, redirecting their focus from unreliable, dark sources to the unwavering light of God's word.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The terms "law" (Hebrew: Torah) and "testimony" (Hebrew: Te'udah) are significant. Torah broadly refers to divine instruction, often encompassing the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) but also God's entire body of revealed truth. Te'udah refers to a divine witness or decree, emphasizing the authoritative and unchanging nature of God's commands. Together, they represent the complete, divinely inspired written word. The phrase "no light in them" underscores a profound spiritual void, contrasting sharply with the concept of God's word being a "lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105).
Practical Application
For believers today, Isaiah 8:20 remains profoundly relevant. It calls us to:
This verse serves as a timeless reminder that true spiritual illumination comes solely from adherence to God's revealed word.