1Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning 8:1 Lit. Speed the Spoil, Hasten the BootyMaher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.

2And I will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”

3Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz;

4for before the child 8:4 knows howshall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the 8:4 plunderspoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.”

5The Lord also spoke to me again, saying:

11For the Lord spoke thus to me with 8:11 Mighty powera strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

19And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there8:20 Or they have no dawn is no light in them.

21They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse 8:21 Or by their king and by their Godtheir king and their God, and look upward.

22Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.