◄ Isaiah 8 ►

New American Bible Revised Edition

A Son of Isaiah. 1The Lord said to me: Take a large tablet, and inscribe on it with an ordinary stylus,* “belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz,”a 2and call reliable witnesses* for me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, son of Jeberechiah.

3Then I went to the prophetess and she conceived and bore a son. The Lord said to me: Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz, 4for before the child learns to say, “My father, my mother,” the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria shall be carried off by the king of Assyria.

The Choice: The Lord or Assyria. 5Again the Lord spoke to me:

6Because this people* has rejected

the waters of Shiloah that flow gently,

And melts with fear at the display of Rezin and Remaliah’s son,

7Therefore the Lord is bringing up against them

the waters of the River, great and mighty,

the king of Assyria and all his glory.

It shall rise above all its channels,

and overflow all its banks.

8It shall roll on into Judah,

it shall rage and pass on—

up to the neck it shall reach.b

But his outspread wings will fill

the width of your land, Emmanuel!

9Band together, O peoples, but be shattered!

Give ear, all you distant lands!

Arm yourselves, but be shattered! Arm yourselves, but be shattered!

10Form a plan, it shall be thwarted;

make a resolve, it shall not be carried out,

for “With us is God!”* c

Disciples of Isaiah. 11For thus said the Lord—his hand strong upon me—warning me not to walk in the way of this people:

12* Do not call conspiracy what this people calls conspiracy,

nor fear what they fear, nor feel dread.

13But conspire with the Lord of hosts;

he shall be your fear, he shall be your dread.d

14He shall be a snare,

a stone for injury,

A rock for stumbling

to both the houses of Israel,

A trap and a snare

to those who dwell in Jerusalem;e

15And many among them shall stumble;

fallen and broken;

snared and captured.f

16Bind up my testimony, seal the instruction with my disciples.* 17I will trust in the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob; yes, I will wait for him. 18Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me: we are signs* and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.g

19And when they say to you, “Inquire of ghosts and soothsayers who chirp and mutter;* h should not a people inquire of their gods, consulting the dead on behalf of the living, 20for instruction and testimony?” Surely, those who speak like this are the ones for whom there is no dawn.*

21He will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry,

and when hungry, shall become enraged,

and curse king and gods.

He will look upward,

22and will gaze at the earth,

But will see only distress and darkness,

oppressive gloom,

murky, without light.*

The Promise of Salvation Under a New Davidic King.* 23There is no gloom where there had been distress. Where once he degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, now he has glorified the way of the Sea, the land across the Jordan, Galilee of the Nations.*

Book Introduction

Footnotes

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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