Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 8, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 8 New English Translation

A Sign-Child is Born

   1 The LORD told me, "Take a large tablet and inscribe these words on it with an ordinary stylus: 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.' 2 Then I will summon as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah." 3 I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD told me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, 4 for before the child knows how to cry out, 'My father' or 'My mother, ' the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria."
   5 The LORD spoke to me again: 6 "These people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and melt in fear over Rezin and the son of Remaliah. 7 So look, the sovereign master is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River - the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks. 8 It will spill into Judah, flooding and engulfing, as it reaches to the necks of its victims. He will spread his wings out over your entire land, O Immanuel."
   9 You will be broken, O nations; you will be shattered! Pay attention, all you distant lands of the earth! Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered!
   10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted! Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! For God is with us!

The LORD Encourages Isaiah

   11 Indeed this is what the LORD told me. He took hold of me firmly and warned me not to act like these people:
   12 "Do not say, 'Conspiracy, ' every time these people say the word. Don't be afraid of what scares them; don't be terrified.
   13 You must recognize the authority of the LORD who commands armies. He is the one you must respect; he is the one you must fear.
   14 He will become a sanctuary, but a stone that makes a person trip, and a rock that makes one stumble - to the two houses of Israel. He will become a trap and a snare to the residents of Jerusalem.
   15 Many will stumble over the stone and the rock, and will fall and be seriously injured, and will be ensnared and captured."
   16 Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God's instructions and give it to my followers.
   17 I will wait patiently for the LORD, who has rejected the family of Jacob; I will wait for him.
   18 Look, I and the sons whom the LORD has given me are reminders and object lessons in Israel, sent from the LORD who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.

Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives

   19 They will say to you, "Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?" 20 Then you must recall the LORD's instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened. 21 They will pass through the land destitute and starving. Their hunger will make them angry, and they will curse their king and their God as they look upward. 22 When one looks out over the land, he sees distress and darkness, gloom and anxiety, darkness and people forced from the land.

King James Version

   1 Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
   2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
   3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
   4 For 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.
   5 ¶ The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,
   6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
   7 Now 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:
   8 And 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.
   9 ¶ Associate 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.
   10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
   11 ¶ For 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,
   12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
   13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
   14 And 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.
   15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
   16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
   17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
   18 Behold, 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.
   19 ¶ And 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?
   20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
   21 And 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.
   22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.