Isaiah 7:17-8:8

New International Version

¹⁷ The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away^(A) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(B)”

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

¹⁸ In that day^(C) the Lord will whistle^(D) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.^{(E) 19} They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(F) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(G) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(H) the Lord will use^(I) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(J)—the king of Assyria^(K)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(L) also.^{(M) 21} In that day,^(N) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^{(O) 22} And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds^(P) and honey.^{(Q) 23} In that day,^(R) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^[a](S) there will be only briers and thorns.^{(T) 24} Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(U) and thorns. ²⁵ As for all the hills^(V) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;^(W) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.^(X)

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

8 The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll^(Y) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”^{[b](Z) 2} So I called in Uriah^(AA) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses^(AB) for me. ³ Then I made love to the prophetess,^(AC) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.^(AD) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.^{(AE) 4} For before the boy knows^(AF) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus^(AG) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.^(AH)”

⁵ The Lord spoke to me again: