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Isaiah 8

King James Version

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

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain.
Please note the following exceptions for use and publication in the United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press

Isaiah 8

English Standard Version



1 Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters,[1] ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’[2] (Isa 30:8) 2 And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.” (2Ki 16:10; 2Ki 16:15; Isa 43:10) 3 And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; (Ho 1:4) 4 for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.” (Isa 7:8; Isa 7:16) 5 The Lord spoke to me again: 6 “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, (Ne 3:15; Isa 7:1; Isa 7:4; Joh 9:7; Joh 9:11) 7 therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River,[3] mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, (Isa 7:20; Isa 17:12; Jer 46:8) 8 and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” (Isa 7:14; Isa 30:28; Isa 36:1) 9 Be broken,[4] you peoples, and be shattered;[5] give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered. (Da 2:34) 10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.[6] (Isa 7:7; Isa 8:8; Ro 8:31) 



11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: (Eze 2:8) 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. (Isa 7:2; 1Pe 3:14) 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (Nu 20:12) 14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isa 28:16; Eze 11:16; Ro 9:33; 1Pe 2:8) 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.” (Isa 28:13; Mt 21:44; Lu 20:18) 16 Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching[7] among my disciples. (Isa 8:1; Da 12:4) 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. (De 31:17; Ps 27:14; Ps 33:20; Isa 1:15; Isa 54:8; Hab 2:3) 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. (Isa 7:3; Heb 2:13) 19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? (Le 19:31; 1Sa 28:11; 2Ki 21:6; 2Ki 23:24; 2Ch 33:6; Ps 106:28; Isa 19:3) 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. (Isa 60:1; Lu 16:29) 21 They will pass through the land,[8] greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against[9] their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness. (Isa 5:30; Na 1:8) 

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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.