Peep
The Word 'Peep' in the KJV
The word "peep" appears in the King James Version in Isaiah 8:19 and 10:14, translating the Hebrew word tsaphaph. In modern English, "peep" typically means to look or glance, but in the older English of the KJV, it referred to making a faint, high-pitched sound, like the chirping of a small bird. Modern translations generally render the word as "chirp" or "whisper" to avoid confusion with the contemporary meaning.
The Chirping of Nestling Birds
In Isaiah 10:14, the prophet describes God's judgment on Assyria using vivid imagery. The nations that Assyria conquered offered no resistance: "There was none that moved a wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped" (Isaiah 10:14). The image is of a bird's nest raided by a predator, with the helpless nestlings too frightened even to make their tiny peeping sounds. This metaphor powerfully conveys the total helplessness of the nations before Assyria's military might.
Necromancers and Spiritists
The more theologically significant use of "peep" appears in Isaiah 8:19, where the prophet confronts the practice of consulting the dead. Isaiah writes: "And when they say to you, 'Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,' should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" The "peeping" or chirping sounds were the altered, whispering voices that mediums used to simulate communication with departed spirits. These faint, ghostly sounds were meant to suggest that the voices came from the feeble dead in the underworld.
The Practice of Necromancy
Necromancy, the practice of attempting to communicate with the dead, was strictly forbidden in Israelite law. Leviticus 19:31 commands, "Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out." Deuteronomy 18:10-12 lists consulting the dead among the detestable practices of the Canaanites. Despite these prohibitions, some Israelites were tempted to seek guidance from spiritists, especially during times of national crisis. King Saul's consultation of the medium at Endor is the most famous example (1 Samuel 28:7-19).
Isaiah's Call to God's Word
Isaiah's response to those who would consult mediums is powerful and direct: "To the teaching and to the testimony!" (Isaiah 8:20). Rather than listening to the faint chirping of spiritists, God's people should turn to his revealed word for guidance. The contrast is between the weak, deceptive murmuring of necromancers and the clear, authoritative voice of God speaking through his law and prophets. This passage remains a foundational text for the sufficiency of Scripture as the source of divine guidance.
Relevance for Today
Isaiah's warning against the peeping and muttering of spiritists speaks to the enduring human temptation to seek supernatural guidance outside of God. Whether through ancient necromancy or modern forms of occult practice, the biblical message is consistent: God's people should seek direction from God himself and from his word, not from any other spiritual source.
Biblical Context
The word 'peep' (chirp) appears in Isaiah 8:19, describing the sounds made by mediums and necromancers, and in Isaiah 10:14, describing the silence of helpless nestling birds. Isaiah 8:19-20 is a key passage on the authority of God's word over occult practices. The broader context includes Israel's temptation to consult the dead during the Assyrian crisis.
Theological Significance
Isaiah's use of 'peeping' exposes the emptiness of occult practices by comparing them to the feeble sounds of baby birds. God's word is presented as the clear, sufficient alternative to the deceptive whisperings of spiritists. This passage affirms the sufficiency of Scripture and warns against all forms of seeking spiritual guidance apart from God. It reinforces the biblical prohibition against necromancy and divination found throughout the Law.
Historical Background
Necromancy and divination were widespread throughout the ancient Near East. Mesopotamian texts describe elaborate rituals for consulting the dead. In Canaan, mediums used altered voices and ventriloquistic techniques to simulate the speech of departed spirits, which were imagined as weak, shadowy beings. The faint chirping or whispering sounds were meant to evoke this underworld existence. Israel's neighbors practiced these arts regularly, creating constant pressure for Israelites to participate despite the Torah's prohibitions.