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
VIII
1And Jehovah said unto me: Take unto thee a large roll; and write upon it, in the style of man, Hasten the spoil, take quickly the prey. 2And I took unto me faithful witnesses; Uriah the priest, and Zachariah the son of Jerebechiah. 3And I approached unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. And Jehovah said unto me: Call his name Maher-Shalal Hash-Baz. 4For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father and My mother, the riches of Damascus, and the spoil of Samaria, shall be taken away before the face of the king of Assyria.
5Yet again Jehovah spoke unto me, saying:
6Because this people hath rejected
The waters of Shiloah, which flow gently;
And rejoiceth in Rezin, and the son of Remaliah:
7Now, therefore, behold the Lord bringeth up upon them
The waters of the river, strong and mighty;
Even the king of Assyria, and all his glory:
And he shall rise above all their channels,
And go over all their banks.
8And he shall pass through Judah, he shall overflow and go over;
Even to the neck shall he reach:
And the spreading of his wings shall be
Over the full breadth of thy land, O Immanuel!
9Link yourselves together, O ye people, yet shall you be broken in pieces;
And give ear, all ye distant lands:
Gird ye yourselves, yet shall you be broken in pieces;
Gird ye yourselves, yet shall you be broken in pieces.
10Take counsel together, yet it shall be brought to nought;
Speak the word, but it shall not stand;
For God is with us.
11For thus said Jehovah unto me, with a strong hand,
When he warned me against walking in the way of this people, saying:
12Call ye not that a confederacy,
Whatsoever this people shall call a confederacy:
And be ye not afraid of their fear, neither be ye terrified.
13 Jehovah of hosts, Him sanctify;
And let him be your fear, and let him be your terror.
14And he shall be unto you for a sanctuary:
But for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence.
To both the houses of Israel;
For a trap, and for a snare, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15And, against which, many shall stumble,
And shall fall, and be broken; and shall be ensnared, and caught.
16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17And I will wait for Jehovah, who hideth his face
From the house of Jacob; and I will look for him.
18Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me
Are for signs and for wonders in Israel;
From Jehovah of hosts,
Who dwelleth upon mount Zion.
19And when they shall say unto you:
Inquire of the necromancers and the wizards,
Who chirp, and mutter:
Say ye, Should not a people inquire of their God?
Should they inquire of the dead concerning the living?
20To the law and to the testimony:
If they will not speak according to this word,
It is because there is no dawn of day for them.
21And they shall pass through the land sorely beset and hungry:
And it shall come to pass when they shall hunger and fret themselves,
They will curse their king, and their God,
22Whether they shall cast their eyes upward,
Or shall look unto the earth; for, behold trouble and obscurity, palpable darkness;
And a thick night whereinto they shall be driven.
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Translated by Rev John Jones (Ioan Tegid).Published at Oxford in 1830, second edition 1842.