ישעיהו, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״ט

During times of crisis and uncertainty, people are often tempted to abandon clear faith and seek magical solutions in the hidden world. The prophet warns his students against the masses who try to incite them to leave the word of God and turn to forbidden paths [שד״ל, אבן עזרא]. These inciters encourage the people to consult mediums who raise the spirits of the dead to predict the future, as well as sorcerers who use magic to make an animal bone seemingly speak from within their mouths [מצודת ציון, אברבנאל].

To convince others of their authenticity, the inciters point to the strange noises these sorcerers make, such as low murmurs, birdlike chirps, and the cooing of doves [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. To the general public, these bizarre sounds serve as proof of supernatural power and communication with higher realms [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that this description is actually the prophet mocking the sorcerers. He reveals that they produce no real speech, only fake noises designed to trick listeners and create a false sense of mystery [רש״י, רד״ק, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, some suggest that the descriptions of chattering and muttering refer not to the sorcerers, but to the inciters themselves, who speak endless nonsense to lead the people astray [אברבנאל].

The final argument regarding whether a nation should seek out the dead on behalf of the living is subject to debate regarding the identity of the speaker. One approach reads this as the sharp, mocking response of the prophet and his faithful students. They argue that since every nation turns to its own god, the people must certainly seek out God. They highlight the sheer absurdity of asking the dead, who know nothing, or mute idols for guidance regarding living people [רש״י, רד״ק, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אבן עזרא]. Conversely, another perspective views this as the continuation of the inciters' pitch. In an effort to calm the crowd, the inciters argue that consulting the dead is neither idolatry nor a betrayal of God. They claim that just as a nation seeks its god, it is perfectly acceptable to use the dead as intermediaries to uncover the truth, rather than treating them as actual deities [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

A fascinating tradition notes that this specific prophecy was not originally delivered by Isaiah. Instead, it was spoken by Beeri, the father of the prophet Hosea. Because Beeri's entire prophetic message consisted of only two verses, it was too short to form its own book and was therefore preserved within the larger text of Isaiah [רש״י, מנחת שי, אברבנאל].