Isaiah 8

New International Version

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

8 The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll^(A) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”^[a]^(B) ²So I called in Uriah^(C) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses^(D) for me. ³Then I made love to the prophetess,^(E) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.^(F) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.^(G) ⁴For before the boy knows^(H) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus^(I) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.^(J)”

⁵The Lord spoke to me again:

⁶“Because this people has rejected^(K)
    the gently flowing waters of Shiloah^(L)
and rejoices over Rezin
    and the son of Remaliah,^(M)
⁷therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
    the mighty floodwaters^(N) of the Euphrates—
    the king of Assyria^(O) with all his pomp.^(P)
It will overflow all its channels,
    run over all its banks^(Q)
⁸and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,^(R)
    passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings^(S) will cover the breadth of your land,
    Immanuel^[b]!”^(T)

⁹Raise the war cry,^[c]^(U) you nations, and be shattered!^(V)
    Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare^(W) for battle, and be shattered!
    Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
¹⁰Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;^(X)
    propose your plan, but it will not stand,^(Y)
    for God is with us.^[d]^(Z)

¹¹This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,^(AA) warning me not to follow^(AB) the way of this people:

¹²“Do not call conspiracy^(AC)
    everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,^(AD)
    and do not dread it.^(AE)
¹³The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,^(AF)
    he is the one you are to fear,^(AG)
    he is the one you are to dread.^(AH)
¹⁴He will be a holy place;^(AI)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone^(AJ) that causes people to stumble^(AK)
    and a rock that makes them fall.^(AL)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.^(AM)
¹⁵Many of them will stumble;^(AN)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

¹⁶Bind up this testimony of warning^(AO)
and seal^(AP) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
¹⁷I will wait^(AQ) for the Lord,
who is hiding^(AR) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.^(AS)

¹⁸Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(AT) We are signs^(AU) and symbols^(AV) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(AW)

The Darkness Turns to Light

¹⁹When someone tells you to consult^(AX) mediums and spiritists,^(AY) who whisper and mutter,^(AZ) should not a people inquire^(BA) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰Consult God’s instruction^(BB) and the testimony of warning.^(BC) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(BD) of dawn. ²¹Distressed and hungry,^(BE) they will roam through the land;^(BF) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(BG) their king and their God. ²²Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(BH) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(BI)

Notas al pie

Isaiah 8:1 Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil; also in verse 3.
Isaiah 8:8 Immanuel means God with us.
Isaiah 8:9 Or Do your worst
Isaiah 8:10 Hebrew Immanuel