Isaiah 19:3

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Cross-reference

Isaiah 19:11–13 Historical context

In Isaiah 19:11-13, the princes and wise counselors of Egypt are shown to be fools, illustrating the destruction of counsel mentioned in verse 3.

Isaiah 19:1 Historical context

Isaiah 19:1 sets the scene of the LORD's coming to Egypt, causing idols to shake and hearts to melt—the context for the spirit failing and counsel destroyed in verse 3.

In Isaiah 44:25, God frustrates diviners and makes their knowledge foolish — the same divine judgment on false counsel as here.

Isaiah 8:19 Parallel

In Isaiah 8:19, seeking wizards is condemned — the very sin Egypt turns to after their counsel fails here.

In Isaiah 29:14, God hides the wisdom of the wise — analogous to confounding Egyptian counsel here.

Isaiah 47:12 mocks Babylon's enchantments and sorceries — similar condemnation of relying on occult powers.

Isaiah 14:27 declares that no one can annul God's purpose—reinforcing that Egypt's counsel is futile against the LORD's plan.

In 1 Corinthians 3:20, God knows human thoughts are vain — reinforcing that Egypt's counsels are futile before God.

In 1 Corinthians 3:19, Paul quotes Job 5:13 to declare worldly wisdom foolish — aligning with God destroying Egypt's counsel.

Jeremiah 46:15 depicts Egypt's valiant men swept away by the LORD, echoing the defeat and loss of spirit prophesied in verse 3.

In Proverbs 21:30, no counsel can stand against the LORD — undergirding why Egypt's counsel is destroyed here.

Job 5:13 Parallel

In Job 5:13, God takes the wise in their own craftiness — echoing the destruction of Egypt's counsel and wisdom.

Job 5:12 Parallel

In Job 5:12, God disappoints the devices of the crafty — a direct parallel to 'destroy the counsel' in this judgment against Egypt.

In 1 Chronicles 10:13, Saul's death is blamed on seeking counsel from a familiar spirit — exactly the sin Egypt commits here.

Psalm 33:10 Parallel

In Psalm 33:10, the Lord frustrates the plans of nations — directly echoing the confounding of Egyptian counsel here.

In Genesis 41:8, Pharaoh calls Egypt's magicians and wise men — the same Egyptian reliance on occult counsel God judges here.

1 Corinthians 1:19 declares God destroys the wisdom of the wise—a direct thematic parallel to this judgment on Egypt's counselors.

Obadiah 1:8 Parallel

Obadiah 1:8 uses nearly identical language: God will destroy wise men from Edom, parallel to this judgment on Egypt's counsel.

Daniel 4:18 Parallel

In Daniel 4:18, again the wise men cannot interpret the dream, reinforcing the theme that God frustrates human wisdom.

Daniel 2:27 Parallel

Daniel 2:27 explicitly states that no wise man can reveal the king's secret—mirroring the failure of Egypt's counselors in this verse.

In 1 Samuel 15:23, rebellion is equated with divination, reinforcing the sinfulness of the Egyptian turn to mediums here.

Daniel 4:7 Parallel

In Daniel 4:7, magicians, astrologers, and soothsayers fail — mirroring the futility of Egypt's occult consultants.

In 2 Kings 21:6, Manasseh practices sorcery and divination, mirroring the Egyptian resort to these in their downfall.

In 2 Chronicles 33:6, Manasseh again engages in the same forbidden practices that Egypt is driven to.

Exodus 22:18 commands death for witches — the very practices Egypt seeks are condemned by God's law.

Psalm 76:12 Parallel

Psalm 76:12 describes God cutting off the spirit of princes, paralleling the failure of Egypt's spirit and counsel in verse 3.

Ezekiel 21:7 describes every spirit faint and knees weak in judgment—the same imagery of spirit failure as in verse 3, but for Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 22:14 asks if the heart can endure God's dealing—parallel to Egypt's spirit failing under divine judgment, though addressed to Israel.

Daniel 1:20 Parallel

In Daniel 1:20, Daniel and friends surpass Babylon's wise men, showing God's wisdom prevailing over human counsel—parallel to Egypt's frustrated counsel here.

Daniel 2:2 Parallel

Daniel 2:2 shows Nebuchadnezzar calling magicians and sorcerers — a parallel scene of kings seeking occult wisdom.

In 1 Samuel 28:7, Saul consults a medium — the same practice Egyptians turn to in judgment.

Daniel 4:6 Parallel

Daniel 4:6 has Nebuchadnezzar summoning wise men for dream interpretation — similar reliance on human divination.

Daniel 5:7 Parallel

Daniel 5:7 also lists astrologers and soothsayers summoned — another example of pagan kings turning to occultists.

In 2 Kings 23:24, Josiah removes mediums and necromancers — the opposite of Egypt's turn to them.