Isaiah 8:1 NLT

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 8:1-10

Isaiah’s son a sign for the people (8:1-10)God then gives a second sign to guarantee the defeat of Israel and Syria. The sign of Immanuel had been given to the royal household, but this sign is given to the people. Another child is to be born, this one to Isaiah and his wife. The name of the child, Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning ‘the spoil hastens, the plunder comes quickly’; cf. GNB: Quick Loot, Fast Plunder), is announced publicly in advance so that the birth of the child will give added... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 8:1

Moreover. There is no break in the prophecy. roll = tablet. Elsewhere only in Isaiah 3:23 . in it = on it. a man's pen = the carving tool of the people. The writing was to be legible, in the language of the common people (not in the language of the priests or educated classes). Eastern languages have these two, down to the present day. Compare Habakkuk 2:2 . "Pen" is put by Figure of speech Metonymy , for the writing written by it. man's = a common man's. Hebrew. 'enosh. concerning =... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Isaiah 8:1

The great sign of Immanuel given in Isaiah 7 indicated that the wonderful child foretold in Isaiah 7:14 would not come to an age of knowledge until after the current crisis was past; but significantly, the actual time of the birth of Immanuel was not disclosed. We agree that Isaiah might have expected that birth centuries before it occurred; but, as we noted earlier, what Isaiah thought was not the key consideration. In any case, some other sign was needed with regard to the present crisis in... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 8:1

Isaiah 8:1. Moreover, the Lord said— The other section of this discourse, which reaches to the 7th verse of the next chapter, is nearly of the same argument with that preceding: it is prophetical, and contains matter of comfort and reproof. It may be divided into two parts; the first part, in the four first verses, contains a confirmation and a sign of the promise concerning the sudden subversion of the kingdoms of Syria and Ephraim. The first part more fully and distinctly explains the purpose... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 8:1

1. great—suitable, for letters large enough to be read by all. roll—rather, tablet of wood, metal, or stone (Isaiah 30:8; Habakkuk 2:2); sometimes coated with wax, upon which characters were traced with a pointed instrument, or iron stylus; skins and papyrus were also used (Habakkuk 2:2- :). man's pen—that is, in ordinary characters which the humblest can read (so Habakkuk 2:2- :). Hebrew, enosh means a "common man," is contrasted with the upper ranks (Revelation 21:17; Romans 3:5). Not in... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 8:1

Yahweh instructed Isaiah to take a large flat surface (Heb. gillayon) appropriate for posting as a placard. He was to write clearly on it Maher-shalal-hash-baz ("speeding to the plunder, hurrying to the spoil")."Soldiers would shout these words to their comrades as they defeated and plundered their foes." [Note: J. Martin, p. 1050.] This public notice had a double purpose: to announce a coming attack on Syria and Israel and to announce the birth of Isaiah’s son."Isaiah was to make his message... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 8:1-4

The sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz 8:1-4Whereas the sign of Immanuel was for Ahaz primarily, the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz was for all the people of Judah. The preceding prophecies to Ahaz (Isaiah 7:10-25) are generally negative, but the following prophecies to the Judahites (Isaiah 8:1-10) are more positive. These instructions from the Lord evidently came to Isaiah in the midst of the Syro-Ephraimitic war. [Note: Ibid., 1:228.] Robert Chisholm Jr. believed Maher-shalal-hash-baz was the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 8:1-22

1. Take, etc.] read ’Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it with the pen of a man, Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’ A man’s pen] i.e. such as a common man would use for writing in large characters that all might, undertsand the words. Maher-shalal-hash-baz] i.e. ’The spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth.’ The inscription intimated the speedy spoliation of Syria and Israel (Isaiah 8:4).2. And I took] RV ’And I will take,’ the speaker being Jehovah as in Isaiah 8:1. Witnesses] who would be able when the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Isaiah 8:1

VIII.(1) Moreover the Lord said unto me . . .—The prophecy that follows was clearly separated by an interval of some kind, probably about a year, from that in Isaiah 7:0. In the meantime much that had happened seemed to cast discredit on the prophet’s words. The child that was the type of the greater Immanuel had been born, but there were no signs as yet of the downfall of the northern kingdom. The attack of Rezin and Pekah, though Jerusalem had not been taken, had inflicted an almost... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Isaiah 8:1-22

CHAPTER VIKING AND MESSIAH; PEOPLE AND CHURCH735-732 B.C.Isaiah 7, 8, 9:1-8THIS section of the book of Isaiah (chapters 7-9:7) consists of a number of separate prophecies uttered during a period of at least three years: 735-732 B.C. By 735 Ahaz had ascended the throne; Tiglath-pileser had been occupied in the far east for two years. Taking advantage of the weakness of the former and the distance of the later, Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, king of Samaria, planned an invasion of Judah. It... read more