Isaiah 8

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me, “Take [get, acquire] a large [great, expansive] scroll [tablet, writing board] and write [record, inscribe] on it with an ordinary [common, human] stylus [pen, graving tool]: Maher-shalal-hash-baz [swift is booty, speedy is prey]. word study 2 And I will appoint [take unto myself, choose] for Myself trustworthy [faithful, reliable] witnesses—Uriah [God is my light] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] and Zechariah [Jehovah remembers] son [descendant, offspring] of Jeberekiah [Jehovah blesses].” word study 3 And I had relations [was intimate, slept] with the prophetess [a woman who speaks God’s message], and she conceived [became pregnant, with child] and gave birth [brought forth] to a son [a male child, descendant]. The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me, “Name [call, designate] him Maher-shalal-hash-baz [swift is booty, speedy is prey]. word study 4 For before [at an earlier time, prior to] the boy [youth, a young person] knows how to cry [call out, say] ‘Father’ [Abba, a term of intimate relationship] or ‘Mother,’ the wealth [riches, treasures] of Damascus [the capital city of Syria, an important trading center] and the plunder [spoils, booty] of Samaria [the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, a watch mountain] will be carried off [taken away, lifted] by the king [ruler, sovereign] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation].” word study 5 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [to communicate, command] to me further [again, still, saying]: word study 6 “Because [for this reason, therefore] this people [nation, community] has rejected [spurned, refused] the gently [softly, quietly] flowing waters [source of spiritual refreshment] of Shiloah [sent, a fountain in Jerusalem] and rejoiced [felt great joy, delighted] in Rezin [a king of Damascus, firm] and the son [descendant, heir] of Remaliah [protected by Jehovah], word study 7 the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] will surely bring against them the mighty [strong and powerful] floodwaters of the Euphrates — the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] and all his pomp [glory, splendor]. It will overflow its channels [streams, watercourses] and overrun its banks [borders, edges]. word study 8 It will pour [sweep onward, overflow] into Judah [the tribe, the region], swirling [rushing, flooding] and sweeping [passing through, overflowing] over it, reaching [touching, coming up to] up to the neck [the point of utmost vulnerability]; its spreading [outstretched, extended] streams will cover [fill, engulf] your entire land [territory, region], O Immanuel [God with us, Emmanuel]! word study 9 Huddle together [associate yourselves, make an uproar], O peoples [nations, Amaw], and be shattered [broken in pieces, utterly destroyed]; pay attention [give ear, listen], all you distant lands [far countries]; prepare for battle [gird yourselves, dress for battle], and be shattered [broken, dismayed]; prepare for battle [gird yourselves], and be shattered [broken, crushed]! word study 10 Devise [plan, consult, or take counsel] a plan [strategy or proposal], but it will be thwarted [broken, frustrated, or come to nothing]; state [speak or declare] a proposal [word, decree, or intention], but it will not happen [stand, be established, or come to pass]. For God [the supreme Being, Elohim] is with us [together, in our midst, as Emmanu-El]. ” word study 11 For [because of this reason] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has spoken to me with a strong [prevailing] hand, instructing [disciplining, teaching] me not to walk [go, proceed] in the way [path, manner of life] of this people [nation, group]: word study 12 “Do not [refuse to, by no means] call conspiracy [a secret alliance, unlawful plot] everything these people [the nation, this crowd] regard as conspiracy [a confederacy, evil plan]. Do not [neither, nor] fear [be afraid of, dread] what they fear [are terrified of, revere]; do not [by no means] live in dread [tremble with fear, be terrified]. word study 13 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things] is the One you shall regard as [consecrate, set apart as] holy [sacred, having God’s nature]. Only He should be feared [inspire awe, reverence]; only He should be dreaded [tremble with fear, be terrified]. word study 14 And He will be a sanctuary [holy place, set apart for God]— but to both [the two] houses of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] a stone [rock, obstacle] of stumbling [tripping, falling] and a rock [boulder, refuge] of offense [trouble, punishment], to the dwellers [inhabitants, residents] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] a trap [snare, net] and a snare [gin, pitfall]. word study 15 Many [a large multitude, numerous] will stumble [trip and fall, lose their footing] over these; they will fall [be defeated, fail] and be broken [shattered, completely destroyed]; they will be ensnared [trapped, caught in a snare] and captured [taken prisoner, seized].” word study 16 Bind up [safeguard, wrap up] the testimony [confirmation of God’s precepts] and seal [close, lock] the law [instruction, divine guidance] among my disciples [taught ones, followers]. word study 17 I will wait [patiently, with expectation] for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], who is hiding [concealing, keeping secret] His face [presence, being in front of] from the house [family, dwelling place] of Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah]. I will put [place, trust] my trust [confidence, faith] in Him [the One who is faithful]. word study 18 Here am I [behold, look], and the children [youth, young ones] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] has given me [to give, to bestow] as signs [miraculous tokens, wonders] and symbols [wonders, miracles] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob] from the LORD [Yehovah] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces], who dwells [to live, to reside] on Mount [hill, mountain] Zion [the city of God, Jerusalem]. word study 19 When men tell you to consult the spirits [familiar spirits] of the dead and the spiritists [who claim to have a familiar spirit, wizards] who whisper [and make hollow sounds, chirp] and mutter [or ponder, meditate], shouldn’t a people [a nation, God’s people] consult their God [Elohim, the one supreme God] instead? Why consult the dead [those who have passed away, the deceased] on behalf of the living [those who are alive, the living ones]? word study 20 To the law [instruction, guiding principles] and to the testimony [confirmation of God’s precepts]! If they do not speak [say, command, or proclaim] according to this word [the divine message, Chronicles], they have no light [understanding, spiritual illumination] of dawn [the beginning of a new day, hope]. word study 21 They will roam [pass through, wander] the land, dejected [sore distressed, hardened] and hungry [famished, in need of food]. When they are famished [starving, in a state of hunger], they will become enraged [furious, angry]; and looking upward [turning their faces upward, gazing to heaven], they will curse [make light of, bring into contempt] their king [ruler, sovereign] and their God [Elohim, the supreme One]. word study 22 Then they will look [gaze attentively] to the earth [land, territory] and see only distress [trouble, adversity] and darkness [a state of gloom, dimness] and the gloom [deep gloom, thick darkness] of anguish [extreme pain, vexation]. And they will be driven [banished, expelled] into utter [thick, complete] darkness [a state of blackness, no light]. word study