Isaiah and His Children as Signs

The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll(A) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”[a](B) So I called in Uriah(C) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses(D) for me. 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) 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)

The Lord spoke to me again:

“Because this people has rejected(K)
    the gently flowing waters of Shiloah(L)
and rejoices over Rezin
    and the son of Remaliah,(M)
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)
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)

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)

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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

Damascus and Samaria Fall

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. And [c]I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, (C)Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.” 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; 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.”

Again the Lord spoke to me further, saying,

“Inasmuch as these people have (G)rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah
And rejoice in (H)Rezin and the son of Remaliah;
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.
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

(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.”

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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