Isaiah 8

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, a long roll of paper for writing. Write these words on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-shalal-hash-baz."

NoteThe name Maher-shalal-hash-baz means something like "quick to take, fast to carry off." The name itself is the warning about Assyria.

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

2"I will choose men you can trust to watch you write it. They are Uriah the priest, a man who helped people worship God, and Zechariah, the son of Jeberekiah."

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 went to my wife, a prophetess, a woman who told people what God said. She was going to have a baby, and she 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"The boy is little. He cannot even say 'Daddy' or 'Mommy' yet. Before he can say those words, the king of Assyria will take away all the riches of the city of Damascus and everything valuable in the city of 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 said no to the quiet, gentle waters of Shiloah. Instead they are glad about King Rezin and the son of Remaliah."

NoteShiloah was a small, slow stream that brought water into Jerusalem. It stands for God's quiet help, next to the huge river in the next verse.

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 bringing a great river of water against them. It is strong and deep. The river is really the king of Assyria and all his proud army. It will spill out of its channels and pour over its banks."

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"That flood will rush into the land of Judah. It will rise until it reaches up to the neck. It will spread out like wide wings and cover your whole land, Immanuel."

NoteThe name Immanuel means "God is with us." That is why verse 10 ends with those same words.

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.

9Gather together, you nations, but you will be smashed to pieces. Listen, all you far away lands. Get ready to fight, but you will be smashed to pieces.

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

10Make your plan together, but it will not work. Say what you will do, but it will not happen. This is because 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 held me with a strong hand and taught me something. He told 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"These people say that everyone is plotting against them. Do not talk that way. Do not be afraid of the things they are afraid of."

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

13"The LORD who leads heaven's armies is the holy one. Treat him that way. He is the one you should honor and fear."

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 to hide. But for both parts of Israel he will be a stone that people trip over. For the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap."

NoteThe King James Bible says "a gin and a snare." A "gin" was an old word for a trap for catching animals.

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 hurt. They will be caught in the trap and taken away."

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

16Tie up this message and keep it safe. Seal up God's 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. Right now he is hiding his face from the family of Jacob, the people of Israel. Even so, I will keep trusting 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, and here are the children the LORD gave me. We are signs to the people of Israel. We come from the LORD who leads heaven's armies. He 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 spirits of dead people for help. They will point you to men who whisper and mutter. But shouldn't people ask their own God instead? Why ask the dead to help 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 law and to the message he gave. If people do not speak the way this word speaks, they have no 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 out and hungry. When their stomachs are empty, they will get angry. They will look up and say bad things about 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 down at the ground. They will see only trouble and darkness and deep sadness. They will be pushed into the dark.