Assyria Will Invade the Land
Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and awrite on it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. 2 And I will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, aUriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
3 Then 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; 4 afor before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ bthe riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.”
5 The Lord also spoke to me again, saying:
6 “Inasmuch as these people refused
The waters of aShiloah that flow softly,
And rejoice bin Rezin and in Remaliah’s son;
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them
The waters of the River, strong and mighty—
The king of Assyria and all his glory;
He will go up over all his channels
And go over all his banks.
8 He will pass through Judah,
He will overflow and pass over,
aHe will reach up to the neck;
And the stretching out of his wings
Will fill the breadth of Your land, O bImmanuel.
9 “Bea shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces!
Give ear, all you from far countries.
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces;
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.
10 aTake counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
Speak the word, bbut it will not stand,
cFor God is with us.”
Fear God, Heed His Word
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 “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’
Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,
Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.
13 The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
14 aHe will be as a sanctuary,
But ba stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall astumble;
They shall fall and be broken,
Be snared and taken.”
16 Bind up the testimony,
Seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait on the Lord,
Who ahides His face from the house of Jacob;
And I bwill hope in Him.
18 aHere am I and the children whom the Lord has given me!
We bare for signs and wonders in Israel
From the Lord of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.
19 And when they say to you, a“Seek those who are mediums and wizards, bwho whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they cseek the dead on behalf of the living? 20 aTo the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because bthere is no light in them.
21 They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and acurse their king and their God, and look upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness. The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
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