Isa 19:3 | NET2full | STEP | The Egyptians will panic , and I will confuse their strategy . They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead , from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits , and from the magicians .

‏ Isaiah 19:3

3 The Egyptians will panic, ^{▼▼tn Heb “and the spirit of Egypt will be laid waste in its midst.”}
and I will confuse their strategy. ^{▼▼tn The verb בָּלַע (balaʿ, “confuse”) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (balaʿ, “swallow”); see HALOT 135 s.v. I בלע.}
They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead,
from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians. ^{▼▼tn Heb “they will inquire of the idols and of the spirits of the dead and of the ritual pits and of the magicians.” Hebrew אוֹב (ʾov, “ritual pit”) refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits. See the note on “incantations” in 8:19.}