Isaiah

Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

1The LORD said to me, "Take a large scroll. Write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-shalal-hash-baz."

Note"Maher-shalal-hash-baz" is Hebrew for something like "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil." The name itself is the warning. "A man's pen" means a plain, everyday pen, so anyone could read the writing.

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

2"And I will get trustworthy men to witness it for me: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah."

3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

3Then I slept with my wife, the prophetess, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, "Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz."

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

4"Before the boy can even say 'my father' or 'my mother,' the king of Assyria will carry off the riches of Damascus and the goods taken from Samaria."

5The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

5The LORD spoke to me again. He said:

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

6"These people have turned down the waters of Shiloah, which flow gently. Instead they are glad about Rezin and the son of Remaliah."

NoteShiloah was a small stream that carried water quietly into Jerusalem. It stands for the steady, unimpressive help God offered. Rezin was king of Syria and "the son of Remaliah" was Pekah, king of Israel: two foreign kings some in Judah wanted to side with.

7Now 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:

7"So the Lord is going to bring the great river against them, deep and rushing. That river is the king of Assyria with all his splendor. He will rise above every channel and spill over every bank."

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

8"He will sweep on into Judah. He will flood it and pass through, rising as high as the neck. His spread-out wings will cover your whole land, Immanuel."

Note"Immanuel" is Hebrew for "God is with us." It is the name given in Isaiah 7:14, and verse 10 says the same words again.

9Associate yourselves, O ye people, 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.

9Band together, you nations, and you will still be smashed to pieces. Listen, all you far-off lands. Get ready for battle, and you will be smashed.

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

10Make your plans together, and they will fail. Say what you will do, and it will not happen. For God is with us.

11For 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,

11The LORD took hold of me firmly and spoke to me. He warned me not to live the way these people live. He said:

12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

12"Do not call it a plot every time these people cry 'It's a plot!' Do not be afraid of what they fear. Do not live in dread."

13Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

13"It is the LORD of Armies you should treat as holy. He is the one to fear. He is the one to stand in awe of."

14And 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.

14"He will be a safe place. But to both parts of Israel he will be a stone people trip on and a rock they fall over. To the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare."

NoteThe KJV word "gin" here has nothing to do with the drink. It is an old English word for a trap that snaps shut on an animal.

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

15"Many of them will trip and fall and be broken. They will be caught in the trap and taken away."

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

16Tie up the record of what God said. Seal up his teaching among my students.

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

17I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the family of Jacob. I will keep looking for him.

18Behold, 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.

18Here I am, with the children the LORD gave me. We are living signs in Israel from the LORD of Armies, who lives on Mount Zion.

19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

19People will tell you to ask the dead for answers, and to go to those who whisper and mutter over spirits. But shouldn't a people ask their own God? Why ask the dead about the living?

20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

20Go to God's teaching and to the record of what he said. If people do not speak in line with this word, there is no dawn light in them.

21And 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 their king and their God, and look upward.

21They will wander through the land, worn down and hungry. When the hunger bites, they will grow angry. They will look up and curse their king and their God.

22And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

22Then they will look at the earth and see only trouble and darkness and heavy gloom. And they will be pushed out into the dark.