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

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

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

18 Here 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.

19 When 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?

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

21 They 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.

22 Then 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

Cross-references

Daniel 12:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 19:7 Classic cross-references Isaiah 8:20 Classic cross-references Isaiah 29:11 Classic cross-references Daniel 12:9 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Bind up צ֖וֹר H6887 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular the testimony תְּעוּדָ֑ה H8584 Noun - feminine singular [and] seal חֲת֥וֹם H2856 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular the law תּוֹרָ֖ה H8451 Noun - feminine singular among my disciples בְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃ H3928 Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural construct | first person common singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Isaiah 40:31 Classic cross-references Hebrews 10:36 Classic cross-references Habakkuk 2:3 Classic cross-references Isaiah 25:9 Classic cross-references Lamentations 3:25 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

I will wait וְחִכִּ֙יתִי֙ H2442 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular for the LORD לַיהוָ֔ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular who is hiding הַמַּסְתִּ֥יר H5641 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular His face פָּנָ֖יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular from the house מִבֵּ֣ית H1004 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Jacob יַעֲקֹ֑ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will put my trust וְקִוֵּ֖יתִֽי־ H6960 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular in Him לֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Verse 18

Cross-references

Psalms 127:3 Classic cross-references Hebrews 2:13 Classic cross-references Psalms 71:7 Classic cross-references Luke 2:34 Classic cross-references Isaiah 9:6 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Here הִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Interjection am I אָנֹכִ֗י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular and the children וְהַיְלָדִים֙ H3206 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has given נָֽתַן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular me לִ֣י Preposition | first person common singular as signs לְאֹת֥וֹת H226 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural and symbols וּלְמוֹפְתִ֖ים H4159 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural in Israel בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular from מֵעִם֙ H5973 Preposition-m the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֔וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural who dwells הַשֹּׁכֵ֖ן H7931 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular on Mount בְּהַ֥ר H2022 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Zion צִיּֽוֹן׃ס H6726 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

Cited in Hebrews 2:13

Verse 19

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 10:13 Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:6 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 33:6 Classic cross-references Psalms 106:28 Classic cross-references Leviticus 19:31 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

When וְכִֽי־ H3588 Conjunction men tell יֹאמְר֣וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural you אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם H413 Preposition | second person masculine plural to consult דִּרְשׁ֤וּ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition mediums הָאֹבוֹת֙ H178 Article | Noun - masculine plural . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and spiritists הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים H3049 Article | Noun - masculine plural who whisper הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖ים H6850 Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural and mutter וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑ים H1897 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural shouldn’t הֲלוֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle a people עַם֙ H5971 Noun - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition consult יִדְרֹ֔שׁ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular their God [instead] אֱלֹהָ֣יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Why consult the dead הַמֵּתִֽים׃ H4191 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural on behalf of בְּעַ֥ד H1157 Preposition the living הַחַיִּ֖ים H2416 Article | Adjective - masculine plural . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition

Verse 20

Cross-references

Psalms 19:7 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 29:29 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 6:16 Classic cross-references 2 Peter 1:19 Classic cross-references 2 Timothy 3:15 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

To the law לְתוֹרָ֖ה H8451 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular and to the testimony וְלִתְעוּדָ֑ה H8584 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular If אִם־ H518 Conjunction they do not לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle speak יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural according to this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative word כַּדָּבָ֣ר H1697 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular they have no אֵֽין־ H369 Adverb light of dawn שָֽׁחַר׃ H7837 Noun - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 10:20 Classic cross-references Revelation 16:21 Classic cross-references Revelation 16:10 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 8:18 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 3:10 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

They will roam the land וְעָ֥בַר H5674 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular dejected נִקְשֶׁ֣ה H7185 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular and hungry וְרָעֵ֑ב H7457 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular . . . וְהָיָ֨ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular When כִֽי־ H3588 Conjunction they are famished יִרְעַ֜ב H7456 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular they will become enraged וְהִתְקַצַּ֗ף H7107 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and looking וּפָנָ֥ה H6437 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular upward לְמָֽעְלָה׃ H4605 Preposition-l | Adverb | third person feminine singular they will curse וְקִלֵּ֧ל H7043 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular their king בְּמַלְכּ֛וֹ H4428 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and their God וּבֵאלֹהָ֖יו H430 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 22

Cross-references

Isaiah 5:30 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 13:16 Classic cross-references Nahum 1:8 Classic cross-references Isaiah 9:1 Classic cross-references Matthew 22:13 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 2:13 OliveGrove study links John 1:4-9 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Then they will look יַבִּ֑יט H5027 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the earth אֶ֖רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular and see וְהִנֵּ֨ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection only distress צָרָ֤ה H6869 Noun - feminine singular and darkness וַחֲשֵׁכָה֙ H2825 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular and the gloom מְע֣וּף H4588 Noun - masculine singular construct of anguish צוּקָ֔ה H6695 Noun - feminine singular And they will be driven מְנֻדָּֽח׃ H5080 Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular into utter darkness וַאֲפֵלָ֖ה H653 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular

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