God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 8:4
4Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.”
Isaiah 8:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
- New International Version (NIV)For before the boy knows how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)for before the boy knows how to cry 'My father' or 'My mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria."
- New King James Version (NKJV)for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.”
Context of Isaiah 8:4
2I will have these dependable witnesses testify: the priest Uriah and Zechariah (son of Jeberechiah).” 3I slept with the prophet. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher Shalal Hash Baz. Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.” 5The Lord spoke to me again. He said, 6“These people have rejected the gently flowing water of Shiloah and find joy in Rezin and Remaliah’s son.”
Read all of Isaiah 8Isaiah 8:4 word by word
כִּ֗י בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ יֵדַ֣ע הַנַּ֔עַר קְרֹ֖א אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֑י יִשָּׂ֣א׀ אֶת־חֵ֣יל דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק וְאֵת֙ שְׁלַ֣ל שֹׁמְר֔וֹן לִפְנֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For before the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- shall have knowledgeיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- to cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- My fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and my motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- the richesחַ֫יִלchayil · strength: richH2428
- of Damascusדַּמֶּ֫שֶׂקdammeώeq dûmeώeq darmeώeq · DamascusH1834
- and the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
- shall be taken awayנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
Cross-references for Isaiah 8:4
- Isaiah 7:15He will eat cheese and honey until he knows how to reject evil and choose good.
- Deuteronomy 1:39Although you thought the little children would be captured in war, your children, who are still too young to know the difference between good and evil, will enter that land. I will give it to them, and they will take possession of it.
- Jonah 4:11Shouldn’t I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn’t tell their right hand from their left.”
- Romans 9:11Before the children had been born or had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told that the older child would serve the younger one. This was said to Rebekah so that God’s plan would remain a matter of his choice,
- Isaiah 10:6I send them against a godless nation. In my fury I order them against the people to take their belongings, loot them, and trample on them like mud in the streets.
- Isaiah 17:3Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom will disappear from Damascus. The remaining few from Aram will share Israel’s honor,” declares the Lord of Armies.
- 2 Kings 15:29In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and the entire territory of Naphtali. He also took the people away to Assyria as captives.
- 2 Kings 16:9The king of Assyria listened to him and attacked Damascus. He captured it, took the people to Kir as captives, and killed Rezin.
- 2 Kings 17:3King Shalmaneser of Assyria defeated Hoshea, who became his servant and was required to make annual payments to him.
Commentaries on Isaiah 8:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For before the child - For my father and my mother, one MS. and the Vulgate have his father and his mother. The prophecy was accordingly accomplished within three years; when Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, went up against Damascus and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin, and also took the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and carried them captive to Assyria, 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 16:9; 1…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For before - This must have occurred in a short time - probably before the expiration of three years. A child would usually learn to address his parents in that time. In fact, the event here predicted occurred in less than three years from the time when the prophecy was spoken; see the notes at Isaiah 7:16. Before the king of Assyria - By the king, or by his conquests. By the spoil of Samaria here, is to be understood, not the plunder which should be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4before the boy knows how to cry: See also Isaiah 7:16. Damascus and Samaria were ruined and destroyed in 732 BC. This event fulfilled this verse along with Isaiah 7:8, 19–20.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. before, &c.--within a year.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 8:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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