Tree of Life Version
Isaiah 8:4
4For before the child will have knowledge 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.”
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
2So I took for myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the kohen and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah. 3Then I went to the prophetess; and she conceived and bore a son. Then Adonai said to me: “Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz. For before the child will have knowledge 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.” 5Then Adonai spoke to me further, saying: 6“Because these people have refused the softly flowing waters of Shiloah, and rejoice with 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 be eating curds and honey by the time he knows to refuse evil and choose good.
- Deuteronomy 1:39“‘Moreover, your little ones—whom you said would become plunder, and your children who today have no knowledge of good or evil—they will enter there. To them I will give it and they will possess it.
- Romans 9:11Yet before the sons were even born and had not done anything good or bad—so that God’s purpose and choice might stand not because of works but because of Him who calls—
- Isaiah 10:6I am sending it against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My fury I am commissioning it, to take spoil and plunder, to trample them down like mud in the streets.
- Isaiah 17:3The fortress will also cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the glory of Bnei-Yisrael. It is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot.
- 2 Kings 15:29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria invaded and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee—all the region of Naphtali, and he deported them to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:9So the king of Assyria responded to him. The king of Assyria marched up against Damascus and captured it, and deported its inhabitants as captives to Kir and put Rezin to death.
- 2 Kings 17:3King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched against him, so Hoshea became his vassal 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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