Isaiah 8:1-10
Expanded Bible
Assyria Will Come Soon
8 The Lord told me, “Take a large ·scroll [or tablet] and write on it with ·an ordinary pen [or ordinary letters/script; L the stylus of a man]: ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz [C “quick to the plunder; swift to the spoil”].’ 2 ·I will call [or So I called; or Call…!] some men to be reliable witnesses: Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”
3 Then I ·went to [C euphemism for sexual relations] the prophetess, and she became ·pregnant [conceived] and had a son. The Lord told me, “Name the boy Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz [v. 1], 4 because the king of Assyria will ·take away [carry off] the wealth of Damascus and the ·possessions [spoil; plunder] of Samaria before the boy learns to say ‘my father’ or ‘my mother’ [C about age two; the first stage of the destruction, which culminated in 722 bc; see 7:15–16].”
5 Again the Lord spoke to me, saying,
6 “[L Because] These people refuse to accept
the ·slow-moving [gently flowing] waters of the pool of Shiloah [C probably the stream flowing from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam (John 9:7); God’s gentle influence is contrasted with the “flood” of the Assyrian invasion; v. 7]
and ·are terrified of [or rejoice over] Rezin
and the son of Remaliah [C Pekah; 7:1, 4–5].
7 So ·I, the Lord, [L look/behold, the Lord] will bring against them
a powerful flood of water from the ·Euphrates River [L River]—
the king of Assyria and all his ·power [glory].
·The Assyrians will be like water rising [L It will rise] over ·the banks of the river [its channels],
flowing over ·the land [its banks].
8 That water will ·flow [sweep] into Judah and pass through it,
rising to ·Judah’s throat [L the neck].
·This army [L It] will spread its wings like a bird
until it covers ·your whole country [the breadth of our land], ·Immanuel [or God is with us].”
9 ·Be broken [or You will be broken], all you nations,
and [L you will] be ·smashed to pieces [shattered].
Listen, all you faraway ·countries [lands].
·Prepare for battle [T Gird yourselves] and [you will] be ·smashed to pieces [shattered]!
·Prepare for battle [T Gird yourselves] and [you will] be ·smashed to pieces [shattered]!
10 ·Make your plans for the fight [Devise your strategy],
but ·they will be defeated [it will be thwarted].
·Give orders to your armies [L Speak a command/word],
but ·they will be useless [L it will not stand],
because ·God is with us [L Immanuel].
Isaiah 8:1-10
New American Standard Bible
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.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 8:1 Lit with the stylus of man
- Isaiah 8:1 I.e., swift is the plunder, speedy is the prey
- Isaiah 8:2 Another reading is take for me
- Isaiah 8:3 I.e., swift is the plunder, speedy is the prey
- Isaiah 8:8 Lit be the fullness of
- Isaiah 8:8 Or Your
- Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
- Isaiah 8:9 Lit Belt up your waist
- Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
- Isaiah 8:9 Lit Belt up your waist
- Isaiah 8:9 Or dismayed
- Isaiah 8:10 Lit word
- Isaiah 8:10 Heb Immanu-el
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
