Isaiah 8

1Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.footnote a

2And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.footnote b

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 king of Assyria.footnote c

5The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

6Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

8And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.footnote d

9Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.footnote e

10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

11For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,footnote f

12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.footnote g

21And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Assyrian Invasion Prophesied

1Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinaryfootnote a stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.footnote b 2And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

3And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 4For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”

5And the LORD spoke to me further:

6“Because this people has rejectedthe gently flowing waters of Shiloahand rejoiced in Rezinand the son of Remaliah, 7the Lord will surely bring against themthe mighty floodwaters of the Euphratesfootnote c—the king of Assyria and all his pomp.It will overflow its channelsand overrun its banks. 8It will pour into Judah,swirling and sweeping over it,reaching up to the neck;its spreading streams will coveryour entire land, O Immanuel!footnote d

9Huddle together,footnote eO peoples, and be shattered;pay attention, all you distant lands;prepare for battle, and be shattered;prepare for battle, and be shattered! 10Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;state a proposal, but it will not happen.For God is with us.footnote f”

A Call to Fear God

11For this is what the LORD has spoken to me with a strong hand, instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:

12“Do not call conspiracyeverything these people regard as conspiracy.Do not fear what they fear;footnote gdo not live in dread.footnote h 13The LORD of Hosts is the Oneyou shall regard as holy.Only He should be feared;only He should be dreaded. 14And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israela stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,footnote ito the dwellers of Jerusalema trap and a snare. 15Many will stumble over these;they will fall and be broken;they will be ensnared and captured.”

16Bind up the testimonyand seal the law among my disciples. 17I will wait for the LORD,who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob.I will put my trust in Him.footnote j

18Here am I, and the children the LORD has given mefootnote k as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

Darkness and Light

19When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

21They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God. 22Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.