Isaiah 8

1 And the Lord said unto me, Take thyself a large table, and write on it with distinct letters, Lemaher-shalal-chash-bas.

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

2 And I was to summon for myself trustworthy witnesses, Uriyah the priest, and Zecharyahu the son of Yeberechyahu.

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

3 And I came near unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-chash-bas.

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 yet the boy shall know to call, My father, and my mother, the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before 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 continued to speak unto me again, saying,

Yahweh spoke to me again,

6 Forasmuch as this people despiseth the waters of Shiloach that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remalyahu's son:

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

7 Yea therefore behold, the Lord bringeth up over them the strong and many waters of the river, —the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and step over all his banks;

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 he shall penetrate into Judah, overflow and flood over, even to the neck shall he reach; and his outstretched wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O 'Immanu-el.

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 Associate yourselves, O ye people, yet shall ye be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of the far portions of the earth: gird yourselves, yet shall ye be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, yet shall ye be broken in pieces.

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 Take counsel together, yet shall it come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand firm; for with us is God.

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 thus said the Lord to me with the strength of prophecy, and warned me not to walk 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 Call ye not a conspiracy all that this people may call a conspiracy, and what it feareth shall ye not fear, and be not terrified [thereat].

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

13 The Lord of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your terror.

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 sanctuary; but also for a stone of stumbling and for a rock to fall over unto both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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 many shall stumble over them, and fall, and be broken, and snared, and be caught.

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

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

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

17 And I will wait for the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for him.

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

18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for tokens in Israel, from the Lord of hosts who dwelleth on 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 shall say unto you, “Inquire of those that have familiar spirits, and of the wizards, that whisper, and that mutter:” should not a people inquire of their God? [should we then] in behalf of the living [inquire] of 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 [Hold] to the law and to the testimony: if they are not to speak according to this word, in which there is no light.

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 the [people] shall pass through [the land], hard oppressed and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they will become enraged, and curse their king and their god, and turn toward on high [for aid].

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 they will look unto the earth; and behold there are trouble and darkness, dimness of oppression, and they shall be scattered into obscurity.

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