Isaiah’s Child Is a Sign of the Lord’s Protection of Judah
8 Yahweh said to me, “Take a large writing tablet, and write on it with a pen: ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz’ [The Looting Will Come Quickly; the Prey Will Be Easy]. 2 I will have these dependable witnesses testify: the priest Uriah and Zechariah (son of Jeberechiah).”
3 I slept with the prophet. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Yahweh told me, “Name him Maher Shalal Hash Baz. 4 Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.”
Assyria Will Invade, But It Will Not Conquer Judah
5 Yahweh spoke to me again. He said,
6 “These people have rejected the gently flowing water of Shiloah
and find joy in Rezin and Remaliah’s son.”
7 That is why Adonay is going to bring against them
the raging and powerful floodwaters of the Euphrates River—
the king of Assyria with all his power.
It will overflow all its channels and go over all its banks.
8 It will sweep through Judah.
It will overflow and pass through; it will be neck-high.
Its outspread wings will extend over your whole country, O Immanuel.
9 Be broken, you people. Be terrified.
Listen, all you distant parts of the earth.
Prepare for battle, but be terrified.
Prepare for battle, but be terrified.
10 Make plans for battle, but they will never succeed.
Give orders, but they won’t be carried out,
because El is with us!
Some in Jerusalem Will Stumble Because They Do Not Trust the Lord
11 This is what Yahweh said with his powerful hand on me.
He warned me not to follow the ways of these people:
12 “Don’t say that everything these people call a conspiracy
is a conspiracy.
Don’t fear what they fear.
Don’t let it terrify you.”
13 Remember that Yahweh Tsebaoth is holy.
He is the one you should fear
and the one you should be terrified of.
14 He will be a place of safety for you.
But he will be a rock that makes people trip
and a stumbling block for both kingdoms of Israel.
He will be a trap and a snare for those who live in Jerusalem.
15 Many will stumble.
They will fall and be broken.
They will be trapped and caught.
16 Tie up the written instructions.
Seal the teachings among my disciples.
17 I will wait for Yahweh,
who hides his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will hope in him.
18 I am here with the children that Yahweh has given me.
We are signs and symbols in Israel
from Yahweh Tsebaoth, who lives on Mount Zion.
19 People will say to you, “Ask for help from the mediums
and the fortunetellers, who whisper and mutter.”
Shouldn’t people ask their Elohim for help instead?
Why should they ask the dead to help the living?
20 They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions.
If people don’t speak these words,
it is because it doesn’t dawn on them.
21 They will pass through the land when they are hard-pressed and hungry.
When they are hungry, they will be furious.
Then they will look up, cursing their king and Elohim.
22 They will look at the earth and see only distress and gloom.
They will go in anguish and be forced into darkness.