New English Translation
Isaiah 8:4
4for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by 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
2Then I will summon as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.” 3I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.” 5The Lord spoke to me again: 6“These people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and melt in fear over 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
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 sour milk and honey, which will help him know how to reject evil and choose what is right.
- Deuteronomy 1:39Also, your infants, who you thought would die on the way, and your children, who as yet do not know good from bad, will go there; I will give them the land and they will possess it.
- Jonah 4:11Should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals!”
- Romans 9:11even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling) –
- Isaiah 10:6I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.
- Isaiah 17:3Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and Damascus will lose its kingdom. The survivors in Syria will end up like the splendor of the Israelites,” says the Lord who commands armies.
- 2 Kings 15:29During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:9The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; he attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people to Kir and executed Rezin.
- 2 Kings 17:3King Shalmaneser of Assyria threatened him; Hoshea became his subject 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
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
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