Isaiah 8

1 And the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it with the pen of a man, For Maher-shalal-hash-baz;

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

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

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

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

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.’

4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and, My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.

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.”

5 And the LORD spake unto me yet again, saying,

The LORD spoke to me yet again, saying,

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

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

7 now 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:

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.

8 and he shall sweep onward into Judah; he shall overflow and pass through; he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

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.

9 Make an uproar; O ye peoples, 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.

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!

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

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

11 For 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,

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

12 Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof].

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

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

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.

14 And 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 Behold, 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.

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.

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living [should they seek] unto the dead?

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?

20 To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

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

21 And 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 by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward.

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,

22 and they shall look unto the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and into thick darkness [they shall be] driven away.

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