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Isaiah’s Son a Sign of the Assyrian Invasion

Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet and write upon it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Ma′her-shal′al-hash′baz.’”[a] And I got reliable witnesses, Uri′ah the priest and Zechari′ah the son of Jeberechi′ah, to attest for me. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Ma′her-shal′al-hash′baz; for before the child knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samar′ia will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

The Lord spoke to me again: “Because this people have refused the waters of Shilo′ah that flow gently, and melt in fear before[b] Rezin and the son of Remali′ah; therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks; and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Imman′u-el.”

Be broken, you peoples, and be dismayed;
    give ear, all you far countries;
gird yourselves and be dismayed;
    gird yourselves and be dismayed.
10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nought;
    speak a word, but it will not stand,
    for God is with us.[c]

11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a sanctuary, and a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble thereon; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

Disciples of Isaiah

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! Surely for this word which they speak there is no dawn. 21 They will pass through the land,[d] greatly distressed and hungry; and when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse[e] their king and their God, and turn their faces upward; 22 and they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:1 That is The spoil speeds, the prey hastes
  2. Isaiah 8:6 Cn: Heb rejoices in
  3. Isaiah 8:10 Heb immanu el
  4. Isaiah 8:21 Heb it
  5. Isaiah 8:21 Or curse by

And Jehovah said unto me, Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it [a]with the pen of a man, For [b]Maher-shalal-hash-baz; and I will take unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said Jehovah unto me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 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 carried away before the king of Assyria.

And Jehovah spake unto me yet again, saying, Forasmuch as this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, [c]and rejoice [d]in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; 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 it shall come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks; and it shall sweep onward into Judah; it shall overflow and pass through; it shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

[e]Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces. 10 Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for [f]God is with us. 11 For Jehovah spake thus to me [g]with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, 12 Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread thereof. 13 Jehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; 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 [h]many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16 Bind thou up the testimony, seal the [i]law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait for Jehovah, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? 20 To the [j]law and to the testimony! [k]if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them. 21 And they shall pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and [l]curse by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward: 22 and they shall look unto the earth, and, behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; [m]and [n]into thick darkness they shall be driven away.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:1 Or, in common characters
  2. Isaiah 8:1 That is, The spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth.
  3. Isaiah 8:6 Or, even they that rejoice
  4. Isaiah 8:6 Or, with
  5. Isaiah 8:9 Or, Break, O ye
  6. Isaiah 8:10 Hebrew immanu El.
  7. Isaiah 8:11 Hebrew with strength of hand.
  8. Isaiah 8:15 Or, many among them shall stumble, and fall etc.
  9. Isaiah 8:16 Or, teaching
  10. Isaiah 8:20 Or, teaching
  11. Isaiah 8:20 Or, surely according to this word shall they speak for whom there is no morning
  12. Isaiah 8:21 Or, curse their king and their God
  13. Isaiah 8:22 Or, and thick darkness shall be driven away. For there etc.
  14. Isaiah 8:22 Or, in