7:14 For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. 1 Look, this 2 young woman 3 is about to conceive 4 and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him 5 Immanuel. 6 7:15 He will eat sour milk 7 and honey, which will help him know how 8 to reject evil and choose what is right. 7:16 Here is why this will be so: 9 Before the child knows how to reject evil and choose what is right, the land 10 whose two kings you fear will be desolate. 11 7:17 The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s family a time 12 unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah – the king of Assyria!” 13 7:18 At that time 14 the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 15 7:19 All of them will come and make their home 16 in the ravines between the cliffs, and in the crevices of the cliffs, in all the thorn bushes, and in all the watering holes. 17 7:20 At that time 18 the sovereign master will use a razor hired from the banks of the Euphrates River, 19 the king of Assyria, to shave the head and the pubic hair; 20 it will also shave off the beard. 7:21 At that time 21 a man will keep alive a young cow from the herd and a couple of goats. 7:22 From the abundance of milk they produce, 22 he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey. 7:23 At that time 23 every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will be overrun 24 with thorns and briers. 7:24 With bow and arrow 25 men will hunt 26 there, for the whole land will be covered 27 with thorns and briers. 7:25 They will stay away from all the hills that were cultivated, for fear of the thorns and briers. 28 Cattle will graze there and sheep will trample on them. 29
A Sign-Child is Born
8:1 The Lord told me, “Take a large tablet 30 and inscribe these words 31 on it with an ordinary stylus: 32 ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ 33 8:2 Then I will summon 34 as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.” 8:3 I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, 8:4 for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria 35 will be carried off by the king of Assyria.” 36
8:5 The Lord spoke to me again: 8:6 “These people 37 have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah 38 and melt in fear over Rezin and the son of Remaliah. 39 8:7 So look, the sovereign master 40 is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River 41 – the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks. 42 8:8 It will spill into Judah, flooding and engulfing, as it reaches to the necks of its victims. He will spread his wings out over your entire land, 43 O Immanuel.” 44
8:9 You will be broken, 45 O nations;
you will be shattered! 46
Pay attention, all you distant lands of the earth!
Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered!
Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! 47
8:10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted!
Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! 48
For God is with us! 49
