Isaiah 8
8
Assyria Is Coming Soon
1The Lord told me, “Get a large scroll,#8:1 scroll This Hebrew word might also mean a clay or stone tablet. and use an ordinary pen#8:1 ordinary pen Literally, “stylus of a man.” This might be a pen for writing on clay. to write these words: ‘This is for Maher Shalal Hash Baz.’#8:1 Maher Shalal Hash Baz This means “There will soon be looting and stealing.””
2I found some men who could be trusted to serve as witnesses: Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah. They watched me write those words. 3Then I went to my wife, the woman prophet. She became pregnant and had a son. The Lord told me, “Name the boy Maher Shalal Hash Baz.” 4He said that because before the boy learns to say “Mama” and “Daddy,” God will take all the wealth and riches from Damascus#8:4 Damascus A city in the country of Aram (Syria). and Samaria and give them to the king of Assyria.
5The Lord spoke to me again. 6He said, “These people#8:6 These people Probably Judeans who wanted to join Rezin and Pekah. Also in verse 11. refuse to accept the slow-moving waters of Shiloah.#8:6 Shiloah A channel that carried water from Gihon Spring to a pool at the south end of the City of David (Jerusalem). Men from David’s family were anointed to be kings there. They prefer Rezin and Remaliah’s son.” 7But the Lord will bring the king of Assyria and all his power against them. The Assyrians will come like their swift moving river, like water that rises and spills over its banks. 8This water will be like a flash flood as it passes through Judah. It will rise to Judah’s throat and almost drown him.
But he will spread his wings over your whole country, Immanuel.#8:8 But he … Immanuel Or “Immanuel, it will spread throughout your whole country.” This might be a promise of God’s protection, or it might be a warning about Assyria’s power.
9All you nations, prepare for war.
You will be defeated.
Listen, all you faraway countries!
Prepare for battle.
You will be defeated.
10Make your plans for the fight.
Your plans will be defeated.
Give orders to your armies,
but your orders will be useless,
because God is with us!#8:10 God is with us In Hebrew this is like the name Immanuel.
Warnings to Isaiah
11The Lord spoke to me with his great power and warned#8:11 warned Or “prevented.” me not to be like these people. He said, 12“Don’t think there is a plan against you just because the people say there is. Don’t be afraid of what they fear. Don’t let them frighten you!”
13The Lord All-Powerful is the one you should fear. He is the one you should respect.#8:13 respect Literally, “consider holy.” He is the one who should frighten you. 14If you people would respect him, he would be a safe place#8:14 safe place Or “holy place.” for you. But you don’t respect him, so he is like a stone that you stumble over. He is a rock that makes both families of Israel fall. He has become a trap that all the people of Jerusalem will fall into. 15(Many people will trip over this rock. They will fall and be broken. They will be caught in the trap.)
16 The Lord said, “Write this agreement.#8:16 Write this agreement Or “Take a document.” This could refer to the large scroll in verse 1 or to the promise that follows in verse 17. Tie it up and seal it so that it cannot be changed. Give these teachings to my followers for safekeeping.”
17The Lord has turned away from the family of Jacob.
But I will wait for him.
I trust that he will come to save us.
18Here I am with the children the Lord has given me. We are here as signs from the Lord All-Powerful, who lives on Mount Zion. He is using us to show his plans for the people of Israel.
19The people will say, “Go to the fortunetellers and wizards who mumble and chirp like birds. Ask them what to do.” But I say, “Shouldn’t people go to their God for help? Why go to the dead to get help for the living?” 20You should follow the teachings and the agreement.#8:20 agreement This usually means the agreement God made with Israel through Moses. Here, it probably means the agreement in verse 17. I swear, if you follow those other things, there is no future for you. 21When the enemy comes, there will be hard times and hunger. And when he becomes hungry, he will become angry. He will say curses in the name of his king and his gods. Then he will lift his head upwards like a roaring lion. 22And when the captives turn their faces to the ground, there is only a depressing darkness closing in—the dark sadness of people forced to leave their country.
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Isaiah 8: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Isaiah 8
8
1Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet and write upon it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hashbaz.’ ”#8.1 That is The spoil speeds, the prey hastes 2And I got reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me. 3And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz; 4for before the child knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
5The Lord spoke to me again: 6“Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before#8.6 Cn: Heb rejoices in Rezin and the son of Remaliah; 7therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks; 8and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanu-el.”
9Be broken, you peoples, and be dismayed;
give ear, all you far countries;
gird yourselves and be dismayed;
gird yourselves and be dismayed.
10Take counsel together, but it will come to naught;
speak a word, but it will not stand,
for God is with us.#8.10 Heb immanu el
11For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12#1 Pet 3.14-15. “Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13But the Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14#Rom 9.32-33; 1 Pet 2.8. And he will become a sanctuary, and a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15And many shall stumble thereon; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
16Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17#Heb 2.13. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19And when they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20To the teaching and to the testimony! Surely for this word which they speak there is no dawn. 21They will pass through the land,#8.21 Heb it greatly distressed and hungry; and when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse#8.21 Or curse by their king and their God, and turn their faces upward; 22and they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.
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