Isaiah 8

1 And the Lord said to me, Take a great writing-board, and on it put down in common letters, Maher-shalal-hash-baz;

Yahweh said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it, 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.'

2 And take true witnesses to the writing, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, the son of Jeberechiah.

I will summon faithful witnesses to attest for me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

3 And I went in to my wife, and she became with child, and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, Give him the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz,

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

4 For before the child is able to say, Father, or, Mother, the wealth of Damascus and the goods of Samaria will be taken away by the king of Assyria.

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

5 And the Lord said again to me,

Yahweh spoke to me again,

6 Because this people will have nothing to do with the softly-flowing waters of Shiloah, and have fear of Rezin and Remaliah's son;

“Because this people has refused the gentle waters of Shiloah, and is happy over Rezin and Remaliah's son,

7 For this cause the Lord is sending on them the waters of the River, deep and strong, even the king of Assyria and all his glory: and it will come up through all its streams, overflowing all its edges:

therefore the Lord is about to bring up on them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels and overflow its banks.

8 And it will come on into Judah; rushing on and overflowing, till the waters are up to the neck; and his outstretched wings will be covering the land from side to side: for God is with us.

The River will sweep onward into Judah, flooding and passing on, until it reaches to your neck. Its outstretched wings will fill the breadth of your land, Immanuel.”

9 Have knowledge, O peoples, and be in fear; give ear, all you far-off parts of the earth:

You peoples will be broken to pieces. Listen, all you distant countries: arm yourselves for war and be broken in pieces; arm yourselves and be broken in pieces.

10 Let your designs be formed, and they will come to nothing; give your orders, and they will not be effected: for God is with us.

Form a plan, but it will not be carried out; issue the command, but it will not be carried out, for God is with us.

11 For the Lord, controlling me with a strong hand, gave me orders not to go in the way of this people, saying,

Yahweh spoke to me, with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people.

12 Do not say, It is holy, about everything of which this people says, It is holy; and do not be in fear of what they go in fear of.

Do not call conspiracy anything that this people calls conspiracy, you will not fear what they fear, and do not be terrified.

13 But let the Lord of armies be holy to you, and go in fear of him, giving honour to him.

It is Yahweh of hosts whom you will honor as holy; he is the one you must fear, and he is the one you must dread.

14 And he will be for a holy place: but for a stone of falling and a rock of trouble to the two houses of Israel, and to the men of Jerusalem, for a net in which they may be taken.

He will become a sanctuary; but he will be a stone of striking, and a rock of stumbling— for both the houses of Israel, and he will be a trap and a snare to the people of Jerusalem.

15 And numbers of them, falling on the stone, will be broken, and will be taken in the net.

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

16 Let my teaching be kept secret: and my words be given to my disciples only.

Bind up my testimony, seal the official record, and give it to my disciples.

17 And I will be waiting for the Lord, whose face is veiled from the house of Jacob, and I will be looking for him.

I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob; I will trust in him.

18 See, I and the children whom the Lord has given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, whose resting-place is in Mount Zion.

See, I and the sons whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of hosts, who lives on Mount Zion.

19 And when they say to you, Make request for us to those who have control of spirits, and to those wise in secret arts, who make hollow bird-like sounds; is it not right for a people to make request to their gods, to make request for the living to the dead?

They will say to you, “Consult with the mediums and spiritists,” those who chirp and mutter incantations. But should a people not consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

20 Then say to them, Put your faith in the teaching and the witness. ... If they do not say such things. ... For him there is no dawn. ...

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not say such things, it is because they have no light of dawn.

21 And he will go through the land in bitter trouble and in need of food; and when he is unable to get food, he will become angry, cursing his king and his God, and his eyes will be turned to heaven on high;

They will pass through the land greatly distressed and hungry. When they are hungry, they will become angry and curse their king and their God, as they turn their faces upward.

22 And he will be looking down on the earth, and there will be trouble and dark clouds, black night where there is no seeing.

They will look at the earth and see distress, darkness, and oppressive gloom. They will be driven into a land of darkness.