1 M oreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen 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 will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, Uriah 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 T hen 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;

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 child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will 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 T he Lord also spoke to me again, saying:

The Lord spoke to me again, saying,

6 “ Inasmuch as these people refused The waters of Shiloah that flow softly, And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah’s son;

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

7 N ow 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.

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 H e will pass through Judah, He will overflow and pass over, He will reach up to the neck; And the stretching out of his wings Will fill the breadth of Your 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 “ Be 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.

“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 T ake counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us.” Fear God, Heed His Word

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 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:

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 “ Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.

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

13 T he Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; 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 H e will be as a sanctuary, But a 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.

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; They shall fall and be broken, Be 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 on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in 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 H ere am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the Lord of hosts, Who dwells 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 say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

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 to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

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 T hey will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look 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 T hen they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

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