The Coming Assyrian Invasion
Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet aand write on it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’ 2 And aI will get reliable witnesses, bUriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.”
3 And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, a“Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4 afor before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the awealth of bDamascus and the spoil of bSamaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
5 The Lord spoke to me again: 6 “Because this people has refused the waters of aShiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over bRezin and the son of Remaliah, 7 therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them athe waters of bthe River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it cwill rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, 8 and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, areaching even to the neck, and its boutspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, cO Immanuel.”
9 Be broken, you peoples, and abe shattered;
give ear, all you far countries;
strap on your armor and be shattered;
strap on your armor and be shattered.
10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
speak a word, abut it will not stand,
for God bis with us.
Fear God, Wait for the Lord
11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and awarned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call aconspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and bdo not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, ahim you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a asanctuary and ba stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many ashall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
16 Bind up athe testimony; bseal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will await for the Lord, who is bhiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 aBehold, I and bthe children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the amediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of bthe dead on behalf of the living? 20 aTo the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no bdawn. 21 They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 aAnd they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into bthick darkness.