Isaiah 8:2

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Bible in Basic English

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

Free Bible Version

I will need Uriah the priest and Zechariah, son of Jeberekiah, to be my trustworthy witnesses.”

Geneva Bible 1599

Then I tooke vnto me faithfull witnesses to recorde, Vriah the Priest, and Zechariah the sonne of Ieberechiah.

King James (Authorized) Version

And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

One Unity Resource Bible

and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah [My light Yah] the priest, and Zechariah [Remembered by Yah] the son of Jeberechiah.”

Translation for Translators

So I requested Uriah the Supreme Priest and Jeberekiah’s son Zechariah, men who were both honest/trustworthy witnesses, to watch me as I was doing that.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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

Noah Webster Bible

And I took to me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

World English Bible

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

Young's Literal Translation

And I cause faithful witnesses to testify to me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.

Context

Assyrian Invasion Prophesied

¹Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.²And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

Sermons

To the Elect Lady

Bob Bruton

1.7K

Summary

In Isaiah 8:2, the prophet Isaiah is instructed to write on a large scroll with a human pen the names 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,' which means 'quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil.' This symbolic act serves as a warning of the impending Assyrian invasion and the judgment that will come upon Judah and Israel. The names given to Isaiah's son signify the swiftness and severity of the coming destruction, emphasizing the consequences of disobedience and unfaithfulness to God's covenant. This verse underscores the importance of heeding God's warnings and turning back to Him to avoid the impending judgment.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

I took--rather, "The Lord said to me, that I should take," &c. [MAURER]. Uriah--an accomplice of Ahaz in idolatry, and therefore a witness not likely to assist the prophet of God in getting up a prophecy after the event (Kg2 16:10). The witnesses were in order that when the event should come, they might testify that the tablet containing the prophecy had been inscribed with it at the time that it professed. Zechariah-- (Ch2 29:13).

John Gill Bible Commentary

And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record,.... Not his marriage, nor the birth of his son, nor the name he gave him, but the prophecy written in the roll, concerning the spoiling of Syria and Israel, in a very short time; that so, when it came to pass, it might be a clear and certain point that it had been foretold by him: Uriah the priest; of whom mention is made in Kg2 16:10 which some object to, because he proved a wicked man, and obeyed the king's command, contrary to the law of God, in building an altar according to the form of one at Damascus; but to this it is replied, that it was before this happened that Isaiah took him to be a witness; and besides, because of the authority of his office, and his familiarity with Ahaz, he must be allowed to be a proper and pertinent person to bear testimony in this case. Some indeed, and so the Jewish commentators, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, would have Uriah the prophet meant, who prophesied in the times of Jehoiakim, and was slain by him, Jer 26:20 to which it is objected, that he was no priest, as this was and, besides, was not born at this time; it was a hundred and forty years after that he lived: and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah; this was Zechariah the prophet, as the Targum, and all the Jewish writers, say (o); who lived in the times of Darius, which was two hundred and forty years after this; but most likely this Zechariah is he who was Ahaz's wife's father, Kg2 18:2 or rather, as Vitringa thinks, Zechariah a Levite, a son of Asaph, Ch2 29:13 though there are some learned men (p), who think the two prophets Uriah and Zechariah are meant, though then unborn; who prophesied of the like or same things as Isaiah did; and so were faithful witnesses of his prophecy, as of the calamities that should come on the land, the restitution of it to its former fruitfulness, and the coming of the Messiah; nor is the observation of Abarbinel to be despised, taken from the ancient Jews, that these are the words, not of the prophet, but of God himself; as also that they are to be read in the future tense, "and I will take to me", &c. (o) T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 24. 2. (p) Cocceius, Witsius, Miscel. Sacr. tom. 1. l. 1. c. 20. sect. 8, 9, 10.