Isaiah 8

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

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

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

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

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

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.

4 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.”

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.”

5 Yahweh spoke to me again,

And the LORD spoke to me further:

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

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

7 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.

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

8 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.”

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!

9 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.

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

10 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.

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

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

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:

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

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

13 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.

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

14 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 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.

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

19 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?

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?

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

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

21 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.

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.

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

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.