1
And YHWH says to me, “Take a great tablet to yourself, and write on it with an engraving tool of man, || To hurry spoil, enjoy prey.”
2
And I cause faithful witnesses to testify to me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.
3
And I draw near to the prophetess, and she conceives, and bears a son; and YHWH says to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz,
4
for before the youth knows to cry, My father, and, My mother, one takes away the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Asshur.”
5
And YHWH adds to speak to me again, saying,
6
“Because that this people has refused || The waters of Shiloah that go softly, || And is rejoicing with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7
Therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up on them, || The waters of the river, the mighty and the great || (The king of Asshur, and all his glory), || And it has gone up over all its streams, || And has gone on over all its banks.
8
And it has passed on into Judah, || It has overflown and passed over, || It comes to the neck, || And the stretching out of its wings || Has been the fullness of the breadth of your land, O Immanuel!
9
Be friends, O nations, and be broken, || And give ear, all you far-off ones of earth, || Gird yourselves, and be broken, || Gird yourselves, and be broken.
10
Take counsel, and it is broken, || Speak a word, and it does not stand, || Because of Immanuel!”
A Call to Fear God
(Ecclesiastes 8:10–13)
11
For thus has YHWH spoken to me with strength of hand, and instructs me against walking in the way of this people, saying,
12
“You do not say, A confederacy, || To all to whom this people says, A confederacy, || And its fear you do not fear, || Nor declare fearful.
13
YHWH of Hosts—Him you sanctify, || And He [is] your Fear, and He your Dread,
14
And He has been for a sanctuary, || And for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of falling, || To the two houses of Israel, || For a trap and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15
And many among them have stumbled and fallen, || And been broken, and snared, and captured.”
16
Bind up the testimony, || Seal the Law among My disciples.
17
And I have waited for YHWH, || Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, || And I have looked for Him.
18
Behold, I, and the children whom YHWH has given to me, || [Are] for signs and for wonders in Israel, || From YHWH of Hosts, who is dwelling in Mount Zion.
Darkness and Light
19
And when they say to you, “Seek to those having familiar spirits, || And to wizards, who chatter and mutter,” || Does a people not seek to its God? To the dead on behalf of the living?
20
To the Law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, “That there is no dawn to it.”
21
And it has passed over into it, hardened and hungry, || And it has come to pass, || That it is hungry, and has been angry, || And made light of its king, and of its God, || And has looked upwards.
22
And it looks attentively to the land, || And behold, adversity and darkness! Dimness, distress, and thick darkness are driven away, || But not the dimness for which she is in distress!
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA