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Isaiah 8:18
ESV Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
NIV Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.
NASB Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, who dwells on Mount Zion.
CSB Here I am with the children the Lord has given me to be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Armies who dwells on Mount Zion.
NLT I and the children the Lord has given me serve as signs and warnings to Israel from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies who dwells in his Temple on Mount Zion.
KJV Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
NKJV Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the Lord of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.

What does Isaiah 8:18 mean?

Isaiah has boldly declared that he will continue to wait for and hope upon Lord (Isaiah 8:17). Because of the unfaithfulness of the people, the Lord's judgment was coming. They will not be saved by the Lord, who will look away.

Having said that, the prophet knows that the Lord will not utterly wipe out Israel. He will keep His promises to the remnant who are faithful to Him (Isaiah 6:13). Isaiah counts himself and his children among those faithful, pointing to them as glimpses of God's grace and faithfulness in Israel even now. Isaiah calls God the "Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion." The point is that God is not leaving Zion behind. He will remain even as His faithless people are carried off by their invaders.

Though some suggest that Isaiah's "children" might be his disciples. He did have at least two children given special names to indicate the working of the Lord in Israel. One was Shear-jashub, whose name meant "a remnant shall return" (Isaiah 7:3). His other son was named Maher-shalal-hash-baz as part of a prophecy from the Lord. The name means something like "quickly to the plunder" (Isaiah 8:1–3). Isaiah and his prophetically-named sons pointed to the Lord's continued faithfulness to Israel even in times of judgment.
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