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Isaiah’s Child Is a Sign of the Lord’s Protection of Judah

Yahweh said to me, “Take a large writing tablet, and write on it with a pen: ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz’ [The Looting Will Come Quickly; the Prey Will Be Easy]. I will have these dependable witnesses testify: the priest Uriah and Zechariah (son of Jeberechiah).”

I slept with the prophet. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Yahweh told me, “Name him Maher Shalal Hash Baz. Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.”

Assyria Will Invade, But It Will Not Conquer Judah

Yahweh spoke to me again. He said,

“These people have rejected the gently flowing water of Shiloah
    and find joy in Rezin and Remaliah’s son.”
That is why Adonay is going to bring against them
    the raging and powerful floodwaters of the Euphrates River—
        the king of Assyria with all his power.
    It will overflow all its channels and go over all its banks.
It will sweep through Judah.
    It will overflow and pass through; it will be neck-high.
    Its outspread wings will extend over your whole country, O Immanuel.

Be broken, you people. Be terrified.
    Listen, all you distant parts of the earth.
    Prepare for battle, but be terrified.
    Prepare for battle, but be terrified.

10 Make plans for battle, but they will never succeed.
    Give orders, but they won’t be carried out,
        because El is with us!

Some in Jerusalem Will Stumble Because They Do Not Trust the Lord

11 This is what Yahweh said with his powerful hand on me.

He warned me not to follow the ways of these people:
12 “Don’t say that everything these people call a conspiracy
    is a conspiracy.
    Don’t fear what they fear.
    Don’t let it terrify you.”
13 Remember that Yahweh Tsebaoth is holy.
    He is the one you should fear
        and the one you should be terrified of.
14 He will be a place of safety for you.
    But he will be a rock that makes people trip
        and a stumbling block for both kingdoms of Israel.
        He will be a trap and a snare for those who live in Jerusalem.
15         Many will stumble.
            They will fall and be broken.
            They will be trapped and caught.

16 Tie up the written instructions.
    Seal the teachings among my disciples.

17 I will wait for Yahweh,
    who hides his face from the descendants of Jacob.
    I will hope in him.
18 I am here with the children that Yahweh has given me.
    We are signs and symbols in Israel
        from Yahweh Tsebaoth, who lives on Mount Zion.
19 People will say to you, “Ask for help from the mediums
    and the fortunetellers, who whisper and mutter.”
    Shouldn’t people ask their Elohim for help instead?
    Why should they ask the dead to help the living?
20 They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions.
    If people don’t speak these words,
        it is because it doesn’t dawn on them.
21 They will pass through the land when they are hard-pressed and hungry.
    When they are hungry, they will be furious.
        Then they will look up, cursing their king and Elohim.
22 They will look at the earth and see only distress and gloom.
    They will go in anguish and be forced into darkness.

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)

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

12 “Do not call conspiracy(AC)
    everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,(AD)
    and do not dread it.(AE)
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,(AF)
    he is the one you are to fear,(AG)
    he is the one you are to dread.(AH)
14 He will be a holy place;(AI)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone(AJ) that causes people to stumble(AK)
    and a rock that makes them fall.(AL)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.(AM)
15 Many of them will stumble;(AN)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

16 Bind up this testimony of warning(AO)
    and seal(AP) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
17 I will wait(AQ) for the Lord,
    who is hiding(AR) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.(AS)

18 Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.(AT) We are signs(AU) and symbols(AV) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.(AW)

The Darkness Turns to Light

19 When someone tells you to consult(AX) mediums and spiritists,(AY) who whisper and mutter,(AZ) should not a people inquire(BA) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction(BB) and the testimony of warning.(BC) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light(BD) of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry,(BE) they will roam through the land;(BF) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse(BG) their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,(BH) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.(BI)

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