1 A nd Jehovah said to me, Take thee a great tablet, and write thereon with a man's style, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large piece of stone and write on it in easy-to-read letters: ‘They hurry to get what they can. They run to pick up what is left.’”

2 A nd I took unto me to witness, sure witnesses, Urijah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

And I took men who could be trusted to watch the writing, Uriah the religious leader and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3 A nd I came near to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son; and Jehovah said unto me, Call his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Then I went to the woman who spoke for God, and she was able to have a child, and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hashbaz.

4 F or before the lad knoweth 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.

For before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and everything of any worth in Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.”

5 A nd Jehovah spoke again to me, saying,

The Lord spoke to me again, saying,

6 F orasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah which flow softly, and rejoiceth in Rezin and in the son of Remaliah,

“These people have turned away from the gentle, flowing waters of Shiloah, and find joy in Rezin and the son of Remaliah.

7 t herefore behold, the Lord will bring up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall mount up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

So now, see, the Lord is ready to bring on them the strong and powerful waters of the Euphrates, the king of Assyria and all his greatness. It will rise up high and cause a flood.

8 a nd he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow it and go further, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel!

Then it will flow into Judah. It will flood and pass through, and come up even to the neck. And the spread of its wings will cover the width of your land, O Immanuel.

9 R age, ye peoples, and be broken in pieces! And give ear, all ye distant parts of the earth: Gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces!

“Be broken, O people, and be afraid. Listen, all you far places of the earth. Get ready, yet be afraid. Get ready, yet be afraid.

10 S ettle a plan, and it shall come to nought; speak a word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

Make a plan, but it will come to nothing. Give your plan, but it will not be done. For God is with us.” The People Are Told to Obey

11 F or Jehovah spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and he instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

For the Lord said this to me with great power, and told me not to walk in the way of these people. He said,

12 Y e shall not say, Conspiracy, of everything of which this people saith, Conspiracy; and fear ye not their fear, and be not in dread.

“Do not call holy all that these people call holy. Do not fear what they fear, or be afraid of it.

13 J ehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

It is the Lord of All Whom you should think of as holy. Let Him be the One you fear. He is the One to be afraid of.

14 A nd he will be for a sanctuary; and for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then He will become a holy place. But He will be a stone of trouble and a rock to fall over for both houses of Israel. He will be a net and a trap for the people of Jerusalem.

15 A nd many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Many will fall over them. They will fall and be broken. They will be trapped and caught.”

16 B ind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

Put together what I have said. Hold to my teachings among my followers.

17 A nd I will wait for Jehovah, who hideth his face from the house of Jacob; and I will look for him.

I will wait for the Lord Who is hiding His face from the family of Jacob. I trust Him and hope in Him.

18 B ehold, I and the children that Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.

See, I and the children the Lord has given me are something special to see and a wonder in Israel from the Lord of All, Who lives on Mount Zion.

19 A nd when they shall say unto you, Seek unto the necromancers and unto the soothsayers, who chirp and who mutter, Shall not a people seek unto their God? for the living unto the dead?

When they say to you, “Ask those who speak in secret with the spirits of the dead and who use their secret ways,” should not a people ask their God? Should they speak to the dead for the living?

20 T o the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak.

Tell them to put their faith in the teaching and the Law. If they do not speak what this word says, it is because they have no light in them.

21 A nd they shall pass through it, hard pressed and hungry; and it shall come to pass when they are hungry, they will fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and will gaze upward:

They will pass through the land troubled and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be angry and curse their king and their God as they look up.

22 a nd they will look to the earth; and behold, trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they shall be driven into thick darkness.

Then they will look to the earth and see trouble and darkness and suffering and will be driven out into darkness.