Isaiah 8:1 - Meaning and Application

In these verses, Isaiah gives a prophecy about the Assyrian king’s successes against Damascus, Samaria, and Judah. Damascus and Samaria would be destroyed, and Judah would be deeply shaken by fear. The Lord first tells the prophet to write this prophecy down and make it public, so everyone could read it and so the record would stand when it happened. One purpose of prophecy was that, when it came true, people would know God had sent the prophet (John 14:29).

Isaiah was to take a large scroll, big enough to hold this message clearly written out. He was to write all that had been foretold about Assyria’s invasion in ordinary handwriting, in a clear and understandable way. The point was that God’s message should not be hidden in unclear speech, but made plain for readers and hearers (Habakkuk 2:2; 1 Corinthians 14:19). People who write for others should write so they can be understood.

The prophet was also told to give the scroll a short, striking title: Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means, “Make speed to the spoil, hasten to the prey.” This name pointed to the quick attack of the Assyrian army and the great plunder it would take. The title itself would make people ask what the message meant, and it would help them remember it. A few words can sometimes carry a great deal of truth.

Isaiah also made sure this record was properly witnessed (Isaiah 8:2). He brought faithful witnesses, wrote the prophecy in their presence, and had them sign it, so they could later confirm that he had foretold these events ahead of time. He names the witnesses for added certainty, so anyone could appeal to them if needed. There were two witnesses, which fit the rule that every matter should be confirmed by two witnesses. One was Uriah the priest, who appears in the story of Ahaz, though not for any good action, since he had supported Ahaz’s idolatrous altar (2 Kings 16:10-11). Even so, at this point he served as a trustworthy witness.

Isaiah also made the title of the prophecy the name of his child, so the warning would not be forgotten (Isaiah 8:3). His wife, called the prophetess because she was the wife of a prophet, bore another son. This child’s name carried a sermon, just as Shear-jashub’s name had done earlier (Isaiah 7:3). But that earlier name spoke mercy, “The remnant shall return,” while this one spoke judgment, “Speed to the spoil, hurry to the prey.” The message is repeated in the child’s name because the event was certain.

Each time the child’s name was spoken, it would remind people that judgment was coming. It is wise for us to remember often the changes and troubles that may come in this world, perhaps even soon. When we look at our children with joy, we should also remember that we do not know what they may yet face. It is a sober but useful thought.

The prophecy then explains the meaning of that name. Syria and Israel, who were joined together against Judah, would very soon become easy prey to the king of Assyria and his victorious army (Isaiah 8:4). Before the child could even say “my father” or “my mother,” which are among the first words children learn, the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria would be carried away. Assyria would plunder both city and country and carry the best of it back to its own land as proof of victory. Those who rob others should expect that they themselves may be robbed, for the Lord is righteous, and troublemakers often meet trouble.

God would also punish some people in Judah, because many there secretly sided with Syria and Israel and were against David’s house. The king of Assyria, who would destroy Ephraim and Syria, would also bring great distress on Judah, as had already been foretold (Isaiah 7:17). Their sin was that they refused “the waters of Shiloah that flow gently” (Isaiah 8:6), a picture of Judah’s own quiet, God-given rule and comforts. They looked down on their country and its government because it was not as impressive as others, and they did not value the calm word God sent through his prophets. Instead, they were pleased with Rezin and Remaliah’s son, the enemies now invading them. They praised those enemies, admired their strength and plans, and were ready to leave Judah’s side and join them.

For that sin, God would bring judgment on them through the same Assyrian king. The one who destroyed Syria and Ephraim would also be a terror to the party in Judah that had sympathized with them (Isaiah 8:7-8). Because they rejected the gentle waters of Shiloah and were uneasy under the government God had set over them, the Lord would bring upon them the strong, overflowing waters of the river, the Euphrates. They despised Judah because it had no great river to boast of, since the stream at Jerusalem was small and unimpressive.

God’s meaning is clear: if they were so taken with the Euphrates, they would get plenty of it. The king of Assyria, whose land lay along that river, would come with all his power and glory, the very army they admired so much. They looked down on their own king because he could not field such a force, but God would turn that boast into a judgment against them.

If we admire people too much for their wealth and strength, it is right for God to let that very power become a burden to us. James even uses this kind of reasoning against honoring rich men above others, since rich men often end up oppressing us (James 2:3, James 2:5). We should be most content with the waters of Shiloah, the quiet stream, because fast-moving waters are dangerous.

The Assyrian army is pictured like a flood rushing in, rising over its channels and banks and sweeping everything away. No one would be able to stand against it. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and his army would move through Judah with so little resistance that it would seem more like a march through the land than an attack.

He would even reach to the neck, that is, he would come as far as Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom, and that would be the limit of his advance. The holy city would be kept from falling into his hands. In the darkest flood of trouble, God can keep his people’s head above water and preserve their comfort and spiritual life. The waters may rise to the neck (Psalm 69:1), but there they will stop.

There is also comfort in this: though the Assyrian, like a bird of prey, would spread his wings across the whole land of Judah, it would still be Immanuel’s land. It is your land, O Immanuel, because Christ was to be born there, live there, preach there, and work miracles there. He was Zion’s King, so he had a special claim on that land and a special care for it.

The lands that belong to Immanuel, and that own him as Lord, may be flooded for a time, but they will not be destroyed. When the enemy comes in like a flood, Immanuel will protect what is his and raise a banner against him (Isaiah 59:19).