New American Standard Bible 1995
Isaiah 8:4
4for 1before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of 2Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before 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
2And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.” 3So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.” 5Again the Lord spoke to me further, saying, 6“Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah;
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
- beforeטֶ֫רֶםţerem · beforeH2962
- the boyנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- knowsיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- how to cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- out ‘My fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- or ‘My motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- the wealthחַ֫יִלchayil · strength: richH2428
- Damascusדַּמֶּ֫שֶׂקdammeώeq dûmeώeq darmeώeq · DamascusH1834
- and the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
- will be carriedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- away beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
Cross-references for Isaiah 8:4
- Isaiah 7:15He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.
- Deuteronomy 1:39Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.
- Jonah 4:11Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
- Romans 9:11for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
- Isaiah 10:6I send it against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My fury To capture booty and to seize plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
- Isaiah 17:3The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, And sovereignty from Damascus And the remnant of Aram; They will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord of hosts.
- 2 Kings 15:29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:9So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death.
- 2 Kings 17:3Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute.
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
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries