Isaiah 7:18-8

New International Version

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

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

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

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

⁵The Lord spoke to me again:

⁶“Because this people has rejected^(AG)
    the gently flowing waters of Shiloah^(AH)
and rejoices over Rezin
    and the son of Remaliah,^(AI)
⁷therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
    the mighty floodwaters^(AJ) of the Euphrates—
    the king of Assyria^(AK) with all his pomp.^(AL)
It will overflow all its channels,
    run over all its banks^(AM)
⁸and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,^(AN)
    passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings^(AO) will cover the breadth of your land,
    Immanuel^[c]!”^(AP)

⁹Raise the war cry,^[d]^(AQ) you nations, and be shattered!^(AR)
    Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare^(AS) for battle, and be shattered!
    Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
¹⁰Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;^(AT)
    propose your plan, but it will not stand,^(AU)
    for God is with us.^[e]^(AV)

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

¹²“Do not call conspiracy^(AY)
    everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,^(AZ)
    and do not dread it.^(BA)
¹³The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,^(BB)
    he is the one you are to fear,^(BC)
    he is the one you are to dread.^(BD)
¹⁴He will be a holy place;^(BE)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone^(BF) that causes people to stumble^(BG)
    and a rock that makes them fall.^(BH)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.^(BI)
¹⁵Many of them will stumble;^(BJ)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

¹⁶Bind up this testimony of warning^(BK)
and seal^(BL) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
¹⁷I will wait^(BM) for the Lord,
who is hiding^(BN) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.^(BO)

¹⁸Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(BP) We are signs^(BQ) and symbols^(BR) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(BS)

Footnotes

Isaiah 7:23 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms
Isaiah 8:1 Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil; also in verse 3.
Isaiah 8:8 Immanuel means God with us.
Isaiah 8:9 Or Do your worst
Isaiah 8:10 Hebrew Immanuel