Isa 8:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | The events in this chapter are closely related to those of the previous chapter. It is also about the deliverance of Judah from the threat of the Syrian-Israeli alliance and the subsequent Assyrian invasion that will finally also reach Judah. In view of this, Isaiah is given the task to write down a message and to do so in such a way that everyone can take note of it as he passes by ( ; cf. ). It must be easy to read. God’s warnings are always perceptible and understandable to everyone. The LORD tells him what he should write down: “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”, which means ‘swift is the booty, speedy is the prey’. Isaiah also has to take two for the people “faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah … and Zechariah” ( ; cf. ). Uriah means ‘the LORD is my light’ and Zechariah ‘the LORD remembers’. The meaning of their names contains a hopeful message in the midst of spiritual darkness. The names testify that the LORD gives light on the path of the believer and that He never forgets His people. We know of Uriah that he is an ungodly priest ( ). He will therefore not be a faithful witness because of his personal credibility, but because of his ministry. Who Zechariah was is not known. With the people both witnesses will have had authority. Their testimony at the appointed time about what Isaiah preached will be a confirmation of what he wrote on the large tablet. The LORD has the written message of Isaiah confirmed by a living message in the person of a son whom He promises to give him. He also tells him how the name of his son should be. To give him that son the LORD uses the natural relationship between Isaiah and his wife in sexual intercourse ( ). The LORD blesses the intercourse with pregnancy and the birth of a son. When the child is born, He tells Isaiah to name his son “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”. Isaiah’s wife is here called “the prophetess”. This means that she herself is a prophetess in the sense that she receives messages from God to pass on, like Hulda and Deborah. Isaiah and his wife are a beautiful couple who in unity in the midst of an apostate people pass on the words of God. The LORD also tells Isaiah why he should give that name to his son. It has to do with the plans of Syria and Israel to invade Judah. Isaiah has already written about this on a tablet ( ). Now it is said that it will not take long. The LORD says that He will give a solution and will do so soon. Before the child can say his first words, ‘daddy’ and ‘mommy’, the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, will have conquered the capitals of Syria and Israel, which are Damascus and Samaria ( ). This means that this will happen shortly after the birth of this second child of Isaiah.

‏ Isaiah 8:1-3

Swift Is the Booty, Speedy Is the Prey

The events in this chapter are closely related to those of the previous chapter. It is also about the deliverance of Judah from the threat of the Syrian-Israeli alliance and the subsequent Assyrian invasion that will finally also reach Judah. In view of this, Isaiah is given the task to write down a message and to do so in such a way that everyone can take note of it as he passes by (Isa 8:1; cf. Hab 2:2). It must be easy to read. God’s warnings are always perceptible and understandable to everyone. The LORD tells him what he should write down: “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”, which means ‘swift is the booty, speedy is the prey’.

Isaiah also has to take two for the people “faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah … and Zechariah” (Isa 8:2; cf. Deu 19:15). Uriah means ‘the LORD is my light’ and Zechariah ‘the LORD remembers’. The meaning of their names contains a hopeful message in the midst of spiritual darkness. The names testify that the LORD gives light on the path of the believer and that He never forgets His people.

We know of Uriah that he is an ungodly priest (2Kgs 16:10-16). He will therefore not be a faithful witness because of his personal credibility, but because of his ministry. Who Zechariah was is not known. With the people both witnesses will have had authority. Their testimony at the appointed time about what Isaiah preached will be a confirmation of what he wrote on the large tablet.

The LORD has the written message of Isaiah confirmed by a living message in the person of a son whom He promises to give him. He also tells him how the name of his son should be. To give him that son the LORD uses the natural relationship between Isaiah and his wife in sexual intercourse (Isa 8:3). The LORD blesses the intercourse with pregnancy and the birth of a son. When the child is born, He tells Isaiah to name his son “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”.

Isaiah’s wife is here called “the prophetess”. This means that she herself is a prophetess in the sense that she receives messages from God to pass on, like Hulda and Deborah. Isaiah and his wife are a beautiful couple who in unity in the midst of an apostate people pass on the words of God.

The LORD also tells Isaiah why he should give that name to his son. It has to do with the plans of Syria and Israel to invade Judah. Isaiah has already written about this on a tablet (Isa 8:1). Now it is said that it will not take long. The LORD says that He will give a solution and will do so soon. Before the child can say his first words, ‘daddy’ and ‘mommy’, the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, will have conquered the capitals of Syria and Israel, which are Damascus and Samaria (Isa 8:4). This means that this will happen shortly after the birth of this second child of Isaiah.