The Coming Assyrian Invasion
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Then the LORD said to me, "Take a large tablet 1and write on it in common characters,a'Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.'b
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And 2I will get reliable witnesses, 3Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me."
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And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, 4"Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
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5for before the boy knows how to cry 'My father' or 'My mother,' the 6wealth of 7Damascus and the spoil of 8Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria."
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The LORD spoke to me again:
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"Because this people has refused the waters of 9Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over 10Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
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therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them 11the waters of 12the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it 13will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks,
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and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, 14reaching even to the neck, and its 15outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, 16O Immanuel."
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Be broken,c you peoples, and 17be shattered;d give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.
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Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, 18but it will not stand, for God 19is with us.e
Fear God, Wait for the Lord
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For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and 20warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying:
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"Do not call 21conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and 22do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.
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But the LORD of hosts, 23him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
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And he will become a 24sanctuary and 25a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
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I will 29wait for the LORD, who is 30hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.
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31Behold, I and 32the children whom the LORD has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
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And when they say to you, "Inquire of the 33mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of 34the dead on behalf of the living?
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35To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no 36dawn.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)