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Isaiah 8

God will use Assyria to destroy Israel and Syria

8 The Lord said to me, ‘Get a large board to write on. Then write clear words on it. Write this name: “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.” [ a ] 2 I will call Uriah the priest and Jeberekiah's son, Zechariah, to come to see this. They are honest people who will say what is true.’

3 Then I slept with my wife, the prophetess. She became pregnant and she gave birth to a son. The Lord said to me, ‘Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. 4 Before the child knows how to say “my father” or “my mother”, the king of Assyria will attack Damascus and Samaria. His army will carry away the valuable things from those cities. That is why your son's name must be Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’

5 The Lord spoke to me again. 6 He said, ‘I have blessed my people, like the quiet stream of Shiloah. But they have not accepted my help. Instead, they are happy that King Rezin and Remaliah's son will help them.

7 So I will cause this to happen. I, the Lord God, will bring floods of water from the Euphrates river. That will be the king of Assyria and his powerful armies. They will come like a great river that rises high over its sides. 8 Its water will come as a flood into Judah. It will cover the land and it will rise as high as people's necks! He will make his wings very wide to cover all your land, Immanuel.’ [ b ]

9 You foreign nations must listen to this! Join together to fight. Shout as you go to battle. But you will never win! You people from countries that are far away, get ready for war. But you will be completely destroyed! 10 Decide how you will fight the battle, but your plans will fail! What you decide to do will never happen. God is with us!

The Lord 's message to Isaiah

11 Now the Lord spoke to me with great power. He warned me that I must not be like the other people in Judah. He said,

12 ‘Those people are talking about an agreement to turn against the rulers. But do not agree with what they say. Do not be afraid of the things that frighten them. Do not be afraid, as they are. 13 Instead, you should understand that the Lord Almighty has all authority. You should respect him as holy and be afraid of him.

14 He will be a safe place for you. But for both nations in Israel he will become like a stone that causes people to fall to the ground. [ c ] He will be like a rock that makes them fall down. He will take hold of the people who live in Jerusalem, like a trap that catches a bird. 15 Many people will fall against that rock. They will fall to the ground and it will hurt them. They will become caught in a trap.’

Isaiah's message to his disciples

16 Tie a string round the paper where I have written this. Keep it safe as a true message. Give it to my disciples, to teach them. 17 I will wait for the Lord to do what he says. He has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. But I will trust him to do what is right.

18 Look! Here I am, with the children that the Lord has given to me. We are messages from the Lord Almighty who lives on Mount Zion. We are messages to Israel's people.

19 They will say to you, ‘Go to the people who speak to the spirits of dead people. Go to the magicians who speak magic words. They will tell you what you should do. People should ask their gods and spirits to give them messages. People who are alive should ask the spirits of dead people to help them.’

20 When they say that to you, remember my teaching. Tell them what I have said will happen. People who talk like that are completely in the dark. There is no truth in what they say. 21 Then the people will travel through the land, and they will be sad and hungry. Because of their hunger they will become angry. [ d ] They will curse their king and their God, as they look up to the sky. 22 They will look down at the earth, but they will only see trouble. Everywhere will be dark and people will have no hope. Then they will fall into complete darkness.

Footnotes

  1. 8:1 ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz’ means ‘Quickly take all the valuable things’.
  2. 8:8 ‘He’ may be the king of Assyria, who will cover all the land with his soldiers. Or he may be the Lord , who will cover his people to keep them safe when the enemy attacks.
  3. 8:14 The two nations were Judah in the south, and Israel (or Ephraim) in the north. The Israelite people had become two kingdoms.
  4. 8:21 ‘hunger’ is what you feel when you are hungry

Assyria Is Coming Soon

8 The Lord told me, “Get a large scroll, [ a ] and use an ordinary pen [ b ] to write these words: ‘This is for Maher Shalal Hash Baz.’ [ c ] ”

2 I found some men who could be trusted to serve as witnesses: Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah. They watched me write those words. 3 Then I went to my wife, the woman prophet. She became pregnant and had a son. The Lord told me, “Name the boy Maher Shalal Hash Baz.” 4 He said that because before the boy learns to say “Mama” and “Daddy,” God will take all the wealth and riches from Damascus [ d ] and Samaria and give them to the king of Assyria.

5 The Lord spoke to me again. 6 He said, “These people [ e ] refuse to accept the slow-moving waters of Shiloah. [ f ] They prefer Rezin and Remaliah’s son.” 7 But the Lord will bring the king of Assyria and all his power against them. The Assyrians will come like their swift moving river, like water that rises and spills over its banks. 8 This water will be like a flash flood as it passes through Judah. It will rise to Judah’s throat and almost drown him.

But he will spread his wings over your whole country, Immanuel. [ g ]

9 All you nations, prepare for war.
You will be defeated.
Listen, all you faraway countries!
Prepare for battle.
You will be defeated.
10 Make your plans for the fight.
Your plans will be defeated.
Give orders to your armies,
but your orders will be useless,
because God is with us! [ h ]

Warnings to Isaiah

11 The Lord spoke to me with his great power and warned [ i ] me not to be like these people. He said, 12 “Don’t think there is a plan against you just because the people say there is. Don’t be afraid of what they fear. Don’t let them frighten you!”

13 The Lord All-Powerful is the one you should fear. He is the one you should respect. [ j ] He is the one who should frighten you. 14 If you people would respect him, he would be a safe place [ k ] for you. But you don’t respect him, so he is like a stone that you stumble over. He is a rock that makes both families of Israel fall. He has become a trap that all the people of Jerusalem will fall into. 15 (Many people will trip over this rock. They will fall and be broken. They will be caught in the trap.)

16 The Lord said, “Write this agreement. [ l ] Tie it up and seal it so that it cannot be changed. Give these teachings to my followers for safekeeping.”

17 The Lord has turned away from the family of Jacob.
But I will wait for him.
I trust that he will come to save us.

18 Here I am with the children the Lord has given me. We are here as signs from the Lord All-Powerful, who lives on Mount Zion. He is using us to show his plans for the people of Israel.

19 The people will say, “Go to the fortunetellers and wizards who mumble and chirp like birds. Ask them what to do.” But I say, “Shouldn’t people go to their God for help? Why go to the dead to get help for the living?” 20 You should follow the teachings and the agreement. [ m ] I swear, if you follow those other things, there is no future for you. 21 When the enemy comes, there will be hard times and hunger. And when he becomes hungry, he will become angry. He will say curses in the name of his king and his gods. Then he will lift his head upwards like a roaring lion . 22 And when the captives turn their faces to the ground, there is only a depressing darkness closing in—the dark sadness of people forced to leave their country.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:1 scroll This Hebrew word might also mean a clay or stone tablet.
  2. Isaiah 8:1 ordinary pen Literally, “stylus of a man.” This might be a pen for writing on clay.
  3. Isaiah 8:1 Maher Shalal Hash Baz This means “There will soon be looting and stealing.”
  4. Isaiah 8:4 Damascus A city in the country of Aram (Syria).
  5. Isaiah 8:6 These people Probably Judeans who wanted to join Rezin and Pekah. Also in verse 11.
  6. Isaiah 8:6 Shiloah A channel that carried water from Gihon Spring to a pool at the south end of the City of David (Jerusalem). Men from David’s family were anointed to be kings there.
  7. Isaiah 8:8 But he … Immanuel Or “Immanuel, it will spread throughout your whole country.” This might be a promise of God’s protection, or it might be a warning about Assyria’s power.
  8. Isaiah 8:10 God is with us In Hebrew this is like the name Immanuel.
  9. Isaiah 8:11 warned Or “prevented.”
  10. Isaiah 8:13 respect Literally, “consider holy.”
  11. Isaiah 8:14 safe place Or “holy place.”
  12. Isaiah 8:16 Write this agreement Or “Take a document.” This could refer to the large scroll in verse 1 or to the promise that follows in verse 17.
  13. Isaiah 8:20 agreement This usually means the agreement God made with Israel through Moses. Here, it probably means the agreement in verse 17.

8 Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,

6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17 And I will wait upon the Lord , that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Damascus and Samaria Fall

8 Then the Lord said to me, “Take for yourself a large tablet and ( A ) write on it [ a ] in ordinary letters: [ b ] ( B ) Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 2 And [ c ] I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, ( C ) Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.” 3 So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Name him [ d ] ( D ) Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4 for ( E ) before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of ( F ) Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

5 Again the Lord spoke to me further, saying,

6 “Inasmuch as these people have ( G ) rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah
And rejoice in ( H ) Rezin and the son of Remaliah;
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the ( I ) strong and abundant waters of the ( J ) Euphrates River,
That is , the ( K ) king of Assyria and all his glory;
And it will ( L ) rise over all its channels and go over all its banks.
8 Then ( M ) it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through,
It will ( N ) reach as far as the neck;
And the spread of its wings will [ e ] fill the expanse of [ f ] your land, ( O ) Immanuel.

A Believing Remnant

9 “ ( P ) Be broken, you peoples, and be [ g ] ( Q ) shattered;
And listen, all remote places of the earth.
[ h ] Get ready, yet be [ i ] shattered;
[ j ] Get ready, yet be [ k ] shattered.
10 ( R ) Devise a plan, but it will fail;
State a [ l ] proposal, but ( S ) it will not stand,
For [ m ] ( T ) God is with us.”

11 For so the Lord spoke to me [ n ] with ( U ) mighty power and instructed me ( V ) not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 “You are not to say, ‘ It is a ( W ) conspiracy!’
Regarding everything that this people call a conspiracy,
And ( X ) you are not to fear [ o ] what they fear or be in dread of it .
13 It is the ( Y ) Lord of armies ( Z ) whom you are to regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.
14 Then He will become a ( AA ) sanctuary;
But to both houses of Israel, He will be a ( AB ) stone of stumbling and a rock [ p ] of offense,
And a snare and a ( AC ) trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Many ( AD ) will stumble over them,
Then they will fall and be broken;
They will be snared and caught.”

16 ( AE ) Bind up the testimony, ( AF ) seal the [ q ] Law among ( AG ) my disciples. 17 And I will ( AH ) wait for the Lord ( AI ) who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will wait eagerly for Him. 18 ( AJ ) Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for ( AK ) signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, who ( AL ) dwells on Mount Zion.

19 When they say to you, “ ( AM ) Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should a people not ( AN ) consult their God? Should they ( AO ) consult the dead in behalf of the living? 20 To the [ r ] ( AP ) Law and to the testimony! If they do not speak in accordance with this word, it is because ( AQ ) they have no dawn. 21 They will pass through [ s ] the land ( AR ) dejected and hungry, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will become enraged and curse [ t ] their king and their God as they face upward. 22 Then they will ( AS ) look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be ( AT ) driven away into darkness.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:1 Lit with the stylus of man
  2. Isaiah 8:1 I.e., swift is the plunder, speedy is the prey
  3. Isaiah 8:2 Another reading is take for me
  4. Isaiah 8:3 I.e., swift is the plunder, speedy is the prey
  5. Isaiah 8:8 Lit be the fullness of
  6. Isaiah 8:8 Or Your
  7. Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
  8. Isaiah 8:9 Lit Belt up your waist
  9. Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
  10. Isaiah 8:9 Lit Belt up your waist
  11. Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
  12. Isaiah 8:10 Lit word
  13. Isaiah 8:10 Heb Immanu-el
  14. Isaiah 8:11 Lit according to the strength of hand
  15. Isaiah 8:12 Lit their fear
  16. Isaiah 8:14 Or to trip on
  17. Isaiah 8:16 Or teaching
  18. Isaiah 8:20 Or teaching
  19. Isaiah 8:21 Lit it
  20. Isaiah 8:21 Or by their king

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

8 The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll ( A ) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.” [ a ] ( B ) 2 So I called in Uriah ( C ) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses ( D ) for me. 3 Then I made love to the prophetess, ( E ) and she conceived and gave birth to a son. ( F ) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. ( G ) 4 For before the boy knows ( H ) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus ( I ) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria. ( J ) ”

5 The Lord spoke to me again:

6 “Because this people has rejected ( K )
the gently flowing waters of Shiloah ( L )
and rejoices over Rezin
and the son of Remaliah, ( M )
7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
the mighty floodwaters ( N ) of the Euphrates—
the king of Assyria ( O ) with all his pomp. ( P )
It will overflow all its channels,
run over all its banks ( Q )
8 and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, ( R )
passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings ( S ) will cover the breadth of your land,
Immanuel [ b ] !” ( T )

9 Raise the war cry, [ c ] ( U ) you nations, and be shattered! ( V )
Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare ( W ) for battle, and be shattered!
Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; ( X )
propose your plan, but it will not stand, ( Y )
for God is with us. [ d ] ( Z )

11 This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me, ( AA ) warning me not to follow ( AB ) the way of this people:

12 “Do not call conspiracy ( AC )
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear, ( AD )
and do not dread it. ( AE )
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, ( AF )
he is the one you are to fear, ( AG )
he is the one you are to dread. ( AH )
14 He will be a holy place; ( AI )
for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone ( AJ ) that causes people to stumble ( AK )
and a rock that makes them fall. ( AL )
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
a trap and a snare. ( AM )
15 Many of them will stumble; ( AN )
they will fall and be broken,
they will be snared and captured.”

16 Bind up this testimony of warning ( AO )
and seal ( AP ) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
17 I will wait ( AQ ) for the Lord ,
who is hiding ( AR ) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him. ( AS )

18 Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. ( AT ) We are signs ( AU ) and symbols ( AV ) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion. ( AW )

The Darkness Turns to Light

19 When someone tells you to consult ( AX ) mediums and spiritists, ( AY ) who whisper and mutter, ( AZ ) should not a people inquire ( BA ) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction ( BB ) and the testimony of warning. ( BC ) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light ( BD ) of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, ( BE ) they will roam through the land; ( BF ) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse ( BG ) their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, ( BH ) and they will be thrust into utter darkness. ( BI )

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:1 Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil ; also in verse 3.
  2. Isaiah 8:8 Immanuel means God with us.
  3. Isaiah 8:9 Or Do your worst
  4. Isaiah 8:10 Hebrew Immanuel
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