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Isaiah 8
Modern English Version
Isaiah 8
Modern English Version
The Coming Assyrian Invasion
8 Moreover the Lord said to me, Take for yourself a large book and write in it with a man’s pen: “Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey.”[a] 2 I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberekiah. 3 So I went in to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.[b] 4 For before the child knows how 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 spoke to me again, saying:
6 Because this people refuses
the gently flowing waters of Shiloah
and rejoices in Rezin
and the son of Remaliah,
7 now therefore the Lord certainly is about to bring upon them
the strong and plentiful waters of the River,[c]
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 your land,
O Immanuel.
9 Be broken, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces.
And give ear, all you from far countries.
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces;
gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.
10 Take counsel together, but it shall come to nothing;
speak the word, but it shall not stand
for God is with us.
Fear God
11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:
12 You should not say, “It is a conspiracy,”
concerning all that this people calls a conspiracy,
neither fear their threats
nor be afraid of them.
13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts Himself,
and let Him be your fear,
and let Him be your dread.
14 He shall become a sanctuary,
but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
to both the houses of Israel,
and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 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 I will wait on the Lord,
who hides His face from the house of Jacob,
and I will eagerly look for Him.
18 See, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts who dwells in Mount Zion.
19 When they say to you, “Seek after the mediums and the wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek after their God? Should they consult the dead for the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony; if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21 They shall pass through the land hard-pressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they shall be furious and curse their king and their God as they look upward. 22 Then they shall look to the earth and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish. And they shall be driven away into darkness.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 8:1 See v. 3.
- Isaiah 8:3 See v. 1.
- Isaiah 8:7 Euphrates River.
Isaiah 8
New International Version
Isaiah 8
New International Version
Isaiah and His Children as Signs
8 The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll(A) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”[a](B) 2 So I called in Uriah(C) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses(D) for me. 3 Then I made love to the prophetess,(E) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.(F) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.(G) 4 For before the boy knows(H) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus(I) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.(J)”
5 The Lord spoke to me again:
6 “Because this people has rejected(K)
the gently flowing waters of Shiloah(L)
and rejoices over Rezin
and the son of Remaliah,(M)
7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
the mighty floodwaters(N) of the Euphrates—
the king of Assyria(O) with all his pomp.(P)
It will overflow all its channels,
run over all its banks(Q)
8 and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,(R)
passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings(S) will cover the breadth of your land,
Immanuel[b]!”(T)
9 Raise the war cry,[c](U) you nations, and be shattered!(V)
Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare(W) for battle, and be shattered!
Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;(X)
propose your plan, but it will not stand,(Y)
for God is with us.[d](Z)
11 This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,(AA) warning me not to follow(AB) the way of this people:
12 “Do not call conspiracy(AC)
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,(AD)
and do not dread it.(AE)
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,(AF)
he is the one you are to fear,(AG)
he is the one you are to dread.(AH)
14 He will be a holy place;(AI)
for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone(AJ) that causes people to stumble(AK)
and a rock that makes them fall.(AL)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
a trap and a snare.(AM)
15 Many of them will stumble;(AN)
they will fall and be broken,
they will be snared and captured.”
16 Bind up this testimony of warning(AO)
and seal(AP) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
17 I will wait(AQ) for the Lord,
who is hiding(AR) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.(AS)
18 Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.(AT) We are signs(AU) and symbols(AV) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.(AW)
The Darkness Turns to Light
19 When someone tells you to consult(AX) mediums and spiritists,(AY) who whisper and mutter,(AZ) should not a people inquire(BA) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction(BB) and the testimony of warning.(BC) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light(BD) of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry,(BE) they will roam through the land;(BF) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse(BG) their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,(BH) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.(BI)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 8:1 Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil; also in verse 3.
- Isaiah 8:8 Immanuel means God with us.
- Isaiah 8:9 Or Do your worst
- Isaiah 8:10 Hebrew Immanuel
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.