The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 8 -

Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary (a) stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.(b)

And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

And 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.

For 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.”

And the LORD spoke to me further:

“Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,

the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates (c)— the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.

It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!(d)

Huddle together,(e) O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!

Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.(f)”

A Call to Fear God

(Ecclesiastes 8:10–13)

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

“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear;(g) do not live in dread.(h)

The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded.

And He will be a sanctuary— but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,(i) to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

Many will stumble over these; they will fall and be broken; they will be ensnared and captured.”

Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.

I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.(j)

Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me

(k)

as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

Darkness and Light

When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

They 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.

Then 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.

Footnotes

(a)8:1 Hebrew with a man’s

(b)8:1 Maher-shalal-hash-baz means The spoil speeds, the prey hastens or Swift to plunder, quick to carry away; also in verse 3.

(d)8:8 Immanuel means God with us.

(e)8:9 Or Raise the war cry or Be evil or Be broken

(f)8:10 Hebrew Immanuel; see Matthew 1:23.

(g)8:12 Or Do not fear their threats

(h)8:12 LXX do not be shaken; cited in 1 Peter 3:14

(i)8:14 Cited in Romans 9:33 and 1 Peter 2:8

(j)8:17 Or I will eagerly look for Him; cited in Hebrews 2:13

(k)8:18 Cited in Hebrews 2:13

The LORD said to me, “Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man’s pen, ‘For Maher Shalal Hash Baz’;(a)

and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”

I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz.’

For before the child knows how to say, ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.”

The LORD spoke to me yet again, saying,

“Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.

It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through. It will reach even to the neck. The stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, O Immanuel.

Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!

Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand, for God is with us.”

A Call to Fear God

(Ecclesiastes 8:10–13)

For the LORD spoke this to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

“Don’t call a conspiracy all that this people call a conspiracy. Don’t fear their threats or be terrorized.

The LORD of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread.

He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a stumbling stone and a rock that makes them fall. For the people of Jerusalem, he will be a trap and a snare.

Many will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured.”

Wrap up the covenant. Seal the law among my disciples.

I will wait for the LORD, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.

Darkness and Light

When they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter,” shouldn’t a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Turn to the law and to the covenant! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

They will pass through it, very distressed and hungry. It will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse their king and their God. They will turn their faces upward,

then look to the earth and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.

Footnotes

(a)8:1 “Maher Shalal Hash Baz” means “quick to the plunder, swift to the prey”.