Passage

Isaiah 8

Book: Isaiah · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And Jehovah said unto me, Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it with the pen of a man, For Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 2. and I will take 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 Jehovah unto 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 carried away before the king of Assyria. 5. And Jehovah spake unto me yet again, saying, 6. Forasmuch as this people have refused 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 it shall come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks; 8. and it shall sweep onward into Judah; it shall overflow and pass through; it shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. 9. Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces. 10. Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. 11. For Jehovah spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, 12. Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread thereof. 13. Jehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; 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 shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. 16. Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17. And I will wait for Jehovah, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18. Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion. 19. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? 20. To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them. 21. And they shall pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward: 22. and they shall look unto the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and into thick darkness they shall be driven away." (Isaiah 8:1-22, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Yahweh said to me, “Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man’s pen, ‘For Maher Shalal Hash Baz’; 2. and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.” 3. I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Then Yahweh said to me, “Call his name ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz.’ 4. For before the child knows how to say, ‘My father,’ and, ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.” 5. Yahweh spoke to me yet again, saying, 6. “Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; 7. now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks. 8. It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through; it will reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, Immanuel. 9. Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered! 10. Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand: for God is with us.” 11. For Yahweh spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, 12. “Don’t say, ‘A conspiracy!’ concerning all about which this people say, ‘A conspiracy!’ neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized. 13. Yahweh of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread. 14. He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15. Many will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured.” 16. Wrap up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples. 17. I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18. Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion. 19. When they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:” shouldn’t a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20. Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them. 21. They will pass through it, very distressed and hungry; and it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward, 22. and look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness." (Isaiah 8:1-22, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. ^{Mahershalalhashbaz: Heb. In making speed to the spoil he hasteneth the prey, or, Make speed, etc} 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. ^{went: Heb. approached} 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. ^{the riches: or, he that is before the king of Assyria shall take away the riches, etc} 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. ^{stretching: Heb. fulness of the breadth of thy land shall be the stretchings out of his wings} 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. ^{people and: or, people, yet} 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, ^{with: Heb. in strength of hand} 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. ^{no: Heb. no morning} 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." (Isaiah 8:1-22, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Take to thee a great tablet, and write upon it with a graving tool of man, To haste spoil, enjoy prey.' 2. And I cause faithful witnesses to testify to me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah. 3. And I draw near unto the prophetess, and she conceiveth, and beareth a son; and Jehovah saith unto me, 'Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz, 4. for before the youth doth know to cry, My father, and My mother, one taketh away the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Asshur.' 5. And Jehovah addeth to speak unto me again, saying: 6. 'Because that this people hath refused The waters of Shiloah that go softly, And is rejoicing with Rezin and the son of Remaliah, 7. Therefore, lo, the Lord is bringing up on them, The waters of the river, the mighty and the great, (The king of Asshur, and all his glory,) And it hath gone up over all its streams, And hath gone on over all its banks. 8. And it hath passed on into Judah, It hath overflown and passed over, Unto the neck it cometh, And the stretching out of its wings Hath been the fulness of the breadth of thy land, O Emmanu-El! 9. Be friends, O nations, and be broken, And give ear, all ye far off ones of earth, Gird yourselves, and be broken, Gird yourselves, and be broken. 10. Take counsel, and it is broken, Speak a word, and it doth not stand, Because of Emmanu-El!' 11. For thus hath Jehovah spoken unto me with strength of hand, and instructeth me against walking in the way of this people, saying, 12. 'Ye do not say, A confederacy, To all to whom this people saith, A confederacy, And its fear ye do not fear, Nor declare fearful. 13. Jehovah of Hosts, Him ye do sanctify, And He [is] your Fear, and He your Dread, 14. And He hath been for a sanctuary, And for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of falling, To the two houses of Israel, For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15. And many among them have stumbled and fallen, And been broken, and snared, and captured. 16. Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among My disciples. 17. And I have waited for Jehovah, Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, And I have looked for Him. 18. Lo, I, and the children whom Jehovah hath given to me, [Are] for signs and for wonders in Israel, From Jehovah of Hosts, who is dwelling in Mount Zion. 19. And when they say unto you, 'Seek unto those having familiar spirits, And unto wizards, who chatter and mutter, Doth not a people seek unto its God?, For the living unto the dead! 20. To the law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, 'That there is no dawn to it.' 21., And it hath passed over into it, hardened and hungry, And it hath come to pass, That it is hungry, and hath been wroth, And made light of its king, and of its God, And hath looked upwards. 22. And unto the land it looketh attentively, And lo, adversity and darkness!, Dimness, distress, and thick darkness is driven away, But not the dimness for which she is in distress!" (Isaiah 8:1-22, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.