1 Y ahweh said to me, “Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man’s pen, ‘For Maher Shalal Hash Baz’;

Then the Lord said to me, Take a large tablet and write upon it with a graving tool and in ordinary characters: Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

2 a nd I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”

And I took faithful witnesses to record and attest for me, Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.

3 I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Then Yahweh said to me, “Call his name ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz.’

And I approached the prophetess, and when she had conceived and borne a son, the Lord said to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz,

4 F or before the child knows how to say, ‘My father,’ and, ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.”

For before the child knows how to say, My father or my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.

5 Y ahweh spoke to me yet again, saying,

The Lord spoke to me yet again and said,

6 “ Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

Because this people have refused and despised the waters of Shiloah that go gently, and rejoice in and with Rezin and Remaliah’s son,

7 n ow therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.

Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the waters of the River, strong and many—even the king of Assyria and all the glory; and it will rise over all its channels, brooks, valleys, and canals and extend far beyond its banks;

8 I t will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through; it will reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, Immanuel.

And it will sweep on into Judah; it will overflow and go over, reaching even to the neck, and the outstretched wings shall fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel!

9 M ake an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!

Make an uproar and be broken in pieces, O you peoples! Give ear, all you of far countries. Gird yourselves, and be thrown into consternation! Gird yourselves, and be dismayed!

10 T ake counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand: for God is with us.”

Take counsel together, but it shall come to nought; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us!

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

For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand, and warned and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 “ Don’t say, ‘A conspiracy!’ concerning all about which this people say, ‘A conspiracy!’ neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized.

Do not call conspiracy all that this people will call conspiracy; neither be in fear of what they fear, nor in dread.

13 Y ahweh of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread.

The Lord of hosts—regard Him as holy and honor His holy name, and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread.

14 H e will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And He shall be a sanctuary; but He shall be a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 M any will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured.”

And many among them shall stumble thereon; and they shall fall and be broken, and be snared and taken.

16 W rap up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples.

Bind up the testimony, seal the law and the teaching among my disciples.

17 I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

And I will wait for the Lord, Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; and I will look for and hope in Him.

18 B ehold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, Who dwells on Mount Zion.

19 W hen they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:” shouldn’t a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

And when the people shall say to you, Consult for direction mediums and wizards who chirp and mutter, should not a people seek and consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

20 T urn to the law and to the testimony! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

to the teaching and to the testimony! If their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is surely because there is no dawn and no morning for them.

21 T hey will pass through it, very distressed and hungry; and it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward,

And they shall pass through sorely distressed and hungry; and when they are hungry, they will fret, and will curse by their king and their God; and whether they look upward

22 a nd look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.

Or look to the earth, they will behold only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and into thick darkness and widespread, obscure night they shall be driven away.