Isaiah 8

1 The captivity of Israél and Judáh by the Assyrians. 6 The infidelity of the Jews. 9 The destruction of the Assyrians 14 Christ the stone of stombling to the wicked. 19 The word of God must be inquired at.
1.Moreover, the Lord said unto me, Take thee a agreat role, and write in it bwith a man’s pen, Make speed to the spoil: haste to the pray.
2.Then I took unto me cfaithful witnesses to record, Uriáh the Priest, and Zechariáh the son of Jeberechiáh.
3.After, I came unto the dProphetess, with conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name, ^Mahérshalálhash-baz.
4.For before the echild shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, fhe shall take away the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria, before the King of Asshúr.
5.¶ And the Lord spake yet again unto me, saying,
6.Because this people hath refused the waters of gShiloáh that run softly, and rejoice with Rezín, and the son of Remaliáh,
7.Now therefore behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of hthe River mighty and great, even the King of Asshúr with all his glory, and he shall come up upon all their rivers, and go over all their banks,
8.And shall break into Judáh, and shall overflow and pass through, and shall come up to the ineck, and thenstretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, ô kImmánu-él.
9.Gather together on heaps, ô ye lpeople, and ye shalbe broken in pieces, and hearken all ye of far countries: gird your selves, and you shalbe broken in pieces gird your selves, and you shalbe broken in pieces.
10.Take counsel together, yet it shalbe brought to naught pronounce a decree, yet shall it not stand, for God is with us.
11.For the Lord spake thus to me in taking mof mine hand, and taught me, that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
12.Say ye not, A nconfederacy to all them, to whom this people saith a confederacy, neither fear you otheir fear, nor be afraid of them.
13.pSantify the Lord of hostes, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread,
14.And he shalbe as a qSanctuary: but as a stombling stone and as a rock to fall upon, and to both the houses of Israél, and as a snare and as a net to the inhabitants of Jerusalém.
15.And many among them shall stomble, and shall fall & shalbe broken and shalbe snared and shalbe taken.
16.rBind up the testimony: seal up the Law among my disciples.
17.Therefore I will wait upon the Lord that hath hid his face from the house of Jaakób, and I will look for him.
18.Behold I, and the schildren whom the Lord hath given me, are as signs and as wonders in Israél, tby the Lord of hostes, which dwelleth in mount Zión.
19.And when they shall say unto you, Enquire at them that have a spirit of divination, and at the south saiers, which whisper and murmur, uShould not a people enquire at their God? from the xliving to the dead?
20.To the yLaw, and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word: it is because there is no zlight in them.
21.Then he that is afflicted and famished, shall go to and fro in ait and when he shalbe hungry, he shall even freat him self, band curse his King and his gods, and shall look upward.
22.And when he shall look to the earth, behold trouble, and cdarkness, vexation and anguish, and he is driven to darkness.

Notes

1-a.
That you may write in great letters to the intent it may be more readily read.
1-b.
Meaning, after the common fashion because all men might read it.
2-c.
Because the thing was of great importance, he took these two witnesses, which were of credit with the people, when he set this up upon the door of the temple, albeit Uriah was a flattering hypocrite, 2 King 16.11.
3-^.
Or, Make speed to the spoil haste to the prey.
3-d.
Meaning, to his wife, and this was done in a vision.
4-e.
Before any child be able to speak.
4-f.
That is, the army of Assyria.
6-g.
Which was a fountain at the foot of mount Zion, out of the which ran a small river through the city meaning that they of Judah, distrusting their own power, which was small, desired such power and riches as they saw in Syria and Israel.
7-h.
That is, the Assyrians, which dwell beyond Euphrates.
8-i.
It shall be ready to drown them.
8-k.
He speaks this to Messiah, or Christ, in whom the faithful were comforted, and who would not suffer his Church to be destroyed utterly.
9-l.
To wit, you that are enemies to the Church, as the Assyrians, Egyptians, Syrians, &c.
11-m.
To encourage me that I should not shrink for the infidelity of this people and so neglect my office.
12-n.
Consent not you that are godly, to the league and friendship which this people seek with strangers and idolaters.
12-o.
Meaning, that they should not fear the thing that they feared, which have to hope in God.
13-p.
In putting your trust only in him, in calling upon him in adversity patiently looking for his help, and fearing to do anything contrary to his will.
14-q.
He will defend you which are his elect and reject all the rest, which are enemies of Christ against whom the Jews should stumble and fall, Lk. 2.34, Rom. 9.32, 1 Pet. 2.7.
16-r.
Though all forsake me, yet you that are mine, keep my word sure sealed in your hearts.
18-s.
Meaning, them that were willing to hear and obey the word of God, whom the world hated as though they were monsters and not worthy to live.
18-t.
This is a consolation in their troubles, knowing that nothing could come unto them, but by the will of the Lord.
19-u.
Answer the wicked thus, Should not God’s people seek succour only at him.
19-x.
That is, will they refuse to be taught of the Prophet, who is the mouth of God, and seek help at the dead, which is the illusion of Satan?
20-y.
Seek remedy in the word of God where his will is declared.
20-z.
They have no knowledge, but are blind leaders of the blind.
21-a.
That is, in Judah, where they should have had rest, if they had not thus grievously offended God.
21-b.
In whom afore they put their trust.
22-c.
They shall think that heaven and earth and all creatures are bent against them to trouble them.