Focused Passage

Isaiah 8:16-22

Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, Immanuel’s Land, and the LORD as Sanctuary or Stone

The chapter moves from the naming of Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, to the swift plundering of Damascus and Samaria, to Assyria’s flood through Judah, to the frustration of the nations because of Immanuel, to the call to fear the LORD alone, to the LORD as sanctuary or stone, to the sealing of testimony among disciples, and finally to the darkness of those who reject the LORD’s instruction.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.

17I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.

18Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

19When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

21They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.

22Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

Bind upצ֖וֹרH6887Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthe testimonyתְּעוּדָ֑הH8584Noun - feminine singular[and] sealחֲת֥וֹםH2856Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthe lawתּוֹרָ֖הH8451Noun - feminine singularamong my disciplesבְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃H3928Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 17

Original words

I will waitוְחִכִּ֙יתִי֙H2442Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularfor the LORDלַיהוָ֔הH3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularwho is hidingהַמַּסְתִּ֥ירH5641Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularHis faceפָּנָ֖יוH6440Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularfrom the houseמִבֵּ֣יתH1004Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof Jacobיַעֲקֹ֑בH3290Noun - proper - masculine singularI will put my trustוְקִוֵּ֖יתִֽי־H6960Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularin Himלֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or I will eagerly look for Him; cited in Hebrews 2:13
Verse 18

Original words

Hereהִנֵּ֣הH2009Interjectionam Iאָנֹכִ֗יH595Pronoun - first person common singularand the childrenוְהַיְלָדִים֙H3206Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhas givenנָֽתַן־H5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularmeלִ֣יPreposition | first person common singularas signsלְאֹת֥וֹתH226Preposition-l | Noun - common pluraland symbolsוּלְמוֹפְתִ֖יםH4159Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularfromמֵעִם֙H5973Preposition-mthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralwho dwellsהַשֹּׁכֵ֖ןH7931Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularon Mountבְּהַ֥רH2022Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructZionצִיּֽוֹן׃סH6726Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Hebrews 2:13
Verse 19

Original words

Whenוְכִֽי־H3588Conjunctionmen tellיֹאמְר֣וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralyouאֲלֵיכֶ֗םH413Preposition | second person masculine pluralto consultדִּרְשׁ֤וּH1875Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionmediumsהָאֹבוֹת֙H178Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .וְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand spiritistsהַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔יםH3049Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho whisperהַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖יםH6850Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluraland mutterוְהַמַּהְגִּ֑יםH1897Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralshouldn’tהֲלוֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlea peopleעַם֙H5971Noun - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionconsultיִדְרֹ֔שׁH1875Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir God [instead]אֱלֹהָ֣יוH430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularWhy consult the deadהַמֵּתִֽים׃H4191Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralon behalf ofבְּעַ֥דH1157Prepositionthe livingהַחַיִּ֖יםH2416Article | Adjective - masculine plural. . .אֶל־H413Preposition
Verse 20

Original words

To the lawלְתוֹרָ֖הH8451Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularand to the testimonyוְלִתְעוּדָ֑הH8584Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularIfאִם־H518Conjunctionthey do notלֹ֤אH3808Adverb - Negative particlespeakיֹֽאמְרוּ֙H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralaccording to thisהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativewordכַּדָּבָ֣רH1697Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularthey have noאֵֽין־H369Adverblight of dawnשָֽׁחַר׃H7837Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

They will roam the landוְעָ֥בַרH5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulardejectedנִקְשֶׁ֣הH7185Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularand hungryוְרָעֵ֑בH7457Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular. . .וְהָיָ֨הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularWhenכִֽי־H3588Conjunctionthey are famishedיִרְעַ֜בH7456Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthey will become enragedוְהִתְקַצַּ֗ףH7107Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand lookingוּפָנָ֥הH6437Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularupwardלְמָֽעְלָה׃H4605Preposition-l | Adverb | third person feminine singularthey will curseוְקִלֵּ֧לH7043Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartheir kingבְּמַלְכּ֛וֹH4428Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand their Godוּבֵאלֹהָ֖יוH430Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

Then they will lookיַבִּ֑יטH5027Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartoוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe earthאֶ֖רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularand seeוְהִנֵּ֨הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectiononly distressצָרָ֤הH6869Noun - feminine singularand darknessוַחֲשֵׁכָה֙H2825Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularand the gloomמְע֣וּףH4588Noun - masculine singular constructof anguishצוּקָ֔הH6695Noun - feminine singularAnd they will be drivenמְנֻדָּֽח׃H5080Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularinto utter darknessוַאֲפֵלָ֖הH653Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.