Isaiah 8:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me."

NIV: So I called in Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses for me.

NASB: And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.'

CSB: I have appointed trustworthy witnesses—the priest Uriah and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah."

NLT: I asked Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah, both known as honest men, to witness my doing this.

KJV: And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

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

Isaiah has been told to make what appears to be a sign, perhaps on a large flat piece of wood or metal (Isaiah 8:1). The Lord then told Isaiah to write on that sign what will turn out to be the name of a baby: Maher-shalal-hash-baz. This name seems to mean "speeding to the plunder, hurrying to the spoil." The name itself serves as a prophecy about both the coming birth of the baby and the coming destruction of Israel and Syria by the king of Assyria.

Scholars and translators differ on the beginning of this verse. It is unclear whether the Lord says that He, Himself, will procure witnesses, or if God is telling Isaiah to find these men, or if Isaiah simply says he will get witnesses. In any of those cases, the result is the same. Isaiah gets two reliable men to witness the creation of this sign.

Uriah the priest is very likely the same Uriah who was the high priest during the reign of King Ahaz (2 Kings 16:10–16). Zechariah may be Ahaz's father-in-law (2 Kings 18:2). Having these two men present as official witnesses of Isaiah's sign-making served at least two purposes. First, the sign was a prophecy about future events. Witnesses would provide evidence that Isaiah made the sign before those events happened instead of after the fact.

Secondly, these two men were close to Ahaz. They would be forced to recognize that Isaiah's prophecy about the birth of this baby and the coming of the king of Assyria was true. They could both testify to the king about this verification of the Lord's word through Isaiah.

Isaiah 8:1–10 continues the prophetic tone of Isaiah 7. The Lord tells Isaiah to write a name on a sign in front of prominent witnesses. Then Isaiah gives that name to a newborn son. Before that son is old enough to speak, Syria and Israel will be wiped out by Assyria. Assyria will then bring destruction to Judah. This is compared to a mighty river flooding over its banks. In poetry, Isaiah tells the people of Judah that their preparations for war will be meaningless and that they will be shattered.

Isaiah 8 begins with the Lord telling Isaiah to write a name on a large sign. Then Isaiah conceives a son, with a woman referred to as the "prophetess," likely his wife. The son is given the name on the sign. Before the son can speak, Judah's enemies will be wiped out by Assyria. Assyria will then bring destruction on Judah. Isaiah must not live in fear and dread as the people do. They will stumble over the stone of the Lord instead of trusting in Him. Isaiah will continue to hope in the Lord. Those who reject God's truth will live in darkness.

The prior chapter included a famous prophecy regarding the virgin birth of Jesus. Isaiah 8 continues to prophesy about the coming destruction of Judah's current enemies: Syria and Israel. Isaiah has a son whose name he has written on a sign. Before that son is old enough to talk, Assyria will destroy Judah's enemies and then bring destruction into Judah. The Lord warns Isaiah to honor God, not live in fear. The people will reject God as their foundation, falling into further sin. But Isaiah declares that he and his family will continue to point toward God's faithfulness. Those who reject God's revelation will live in and frustration and despair. This sets up additional prophecies which connect to the ministry of Christ.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).