Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 8 continues-the-Syro-Ephraimite-context: Maher-shalal-hash-baz birth (vv. 1–4), warning about-trusting-Assyria (vv. 5–10), and famous 'STONE OF STUMBLING' passage (vv. 11–15). Verses 12–13 are cited at 1 Peter 3:14–15 ('have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy'). Verse 14's 'stone of stumbling' is cited at Romans 9:33 + 1 Peter 2:8 in cornerstone-Christology.
Notable Variants
8:8, 10 'God is with us' (Immanu-El) twice — Immanuel-name confirmed; 8:12–13 → 1 Pet 3:14–15 fear-of-the-Lord ethic; 8:14 'STONE OF STUMBLING' → Rom 9:33 + 1 Pet 2:8; 8:17–18 → Heb 2:13.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 8 = LXX Isaiah 8. 22 verses.
The LORD said to me, "Take a large tablet and write on it in ordinary script: Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz."
'Then the LORD said to me: Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters: For Maher-shalal-hash-baz' tracks MT. MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ ('quick to the spoil, swift to the prey') — Isaiah's second-symbolic-named-son, signaling-imminent-judgment.
And I called reliable witnesses to attest for me: Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.
'And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah' tracks MT.
Then I was intimate with the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. And the LORD said to me, "Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz."
'And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me: Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz' tracks MT. THE-PROPHETESS — Isaiah's wife. The named-children become living-prophecies.
For before the boy knows how to say 'Papa' or 'Mama,' the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried off before the king of Assyria.
'For before the boy knows how to cry: My father, my mother, the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria' tracks MT.
The LORD spoke to me again:
'The LORD spoke to me again' tracks MT.
Because this people has rejected the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before Rezin and the son of Remaliah --
'Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah' tracks MT. WATERS-OF-SHILOAH — gentle-stream symbolizing-divine-provision rejected for-foreign-alliance.
therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty, massive waters of the River -- the king of Assyria and all his splendor. It will rise over all its channels and overflow all its banks.
'Therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks' tracks MT. RIVER-OVER-CHANNELS — Assyrian-flood-imagery.
It will sweep into Judah, flooding and overflowing, reaching up to the neck. Its spreading wings will fill the whole breadth of your land, O Immanuel!
'And it will sweep on into Judah; it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck; and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel' tracks MT. IMMANUEL-NAME repeated — confirming the 7:14 prophecy's-relevance.
Rage, O peoples, and be shattered! Listen, all distant lands! Arm yourselves -- and be shattered! Arm yourselves -- and be shattered!
'Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered' tracks MT.
Devise a plan -- it will be foiled! Speak a word -- it will not stand! For God is with us.
'Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us' tracks MT. 'GOD IS WITH US' (Immanu-El) — second-occurrence confirms the Immanuel-name as deliverance-axiom.
For this is what the LORD said to me with a strong hand upon me, warning me not to walk in the way of this people:
'For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people' tracks MT.
"Do not call 'conspiracy' everything this people calls a conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it.
Masoretic (WLC)
לֹא־תֹאמְרוּן קֶשֶׁר לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַר הָעָם הַזֶּה קָשֶׁר וְאֶת־מוֹרָאוֹ לֹא־תִירְאוּ וְלֹא תַעֲרִיצוּ
Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread
Septuagint (LXX)
μήποτε εἴπητε σκληρόν πᾶν γάρ ὃ ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος σκληρόν ἐστιν τὸν δὲ φόβον αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῆτε οὐδὲ μὴ ταραχθῆτε
Do not say: It is hard, for everything that this people says is hard; but do not fear their fear, nor be troubled
1 PETER 3:14–15 CITATION. 1 Peter 3:14–15 cites this verse: 'But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM, NOR BE TROUBLED (ton de phobon autōn mē phobēthēte mēde tarachthēte), but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy.' Peter's wording matches the LXX of Isaiah 8:12 verbatim.
PETER'S CHRISTOLOGICAL APPLICATION. Peter substitutes 'Christ the Lord' for the Hebrew's 'YHWH of hosts' — making explicit the Christological-application: do-not-fear-persecutors, but-fear/honor-Christ-as-Lord. The verse becomes a foundational text for-Christian-suffering ethics.
The LORD of Hosts — he is the one you must regard as holy. He must be your fear. He must be your dread."
'But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread' tracks MT. LET-HIM-BE-YOUR-FEAR. 1 Peter 3:15 ('honor Christ the Lord as holy') verbatim-applies to Christ. The Christological-application identifies Christ-with-YHWH.
He will be a sanctuary, but also a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel -- a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְהָיָה לְמִקְדָּשׁ וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף וּלְצוּר מִכְשׁוֹל לִשְׁנֵי בָתֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ לְיוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִָם
And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ ἐὰν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πεποιθὼς ᾖς ἔσται σοι εἰς ἁγίασμα καὶ οὐχ ὡς λίθου προσκόμματι συναντήσεσθε αὐτῷ οὐδὲ ὡς πέτρας πτώματι
And if you trust in him, he will be to you a sanctuary, and you shall not encounter him as a stone of stumbling or as a rock of offense
STONE-OF-STUMBLING / ROCK-OF-OFFENSE — major-NT-citation source. Both Romans 9:33 and 1 Peter 2:8 cite-this-verse (combined with Isa 28:16) to-describe Christ-as-the-stumbling-stone for-unbelief.
ROMANS 9:33: 'as it is written: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.' Paul-combines Isa 28:16 (foundation-stone) with Isa 8:14 (stumbling-stone) into-a-single-quotation. The dual-character of Christ — foundation for believers, stumbling-block for-unbelievers.
1 PETER 2:8 also cites: 'a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; they stumble because they disobey the word.' Peter's-vocabulary (proskommatos kai petra skandalou) matches-Paul's-wording.
LXX-vs-MT DIVERGENCE. The MT presents the stumbling-stone as a description of-divine-action ('he will become … a stone of stumbling'); the LXX hedges into-a-conditional ('if you trust in him, you shall NOT encounter him as a stone of stumbling'). Paul and Peter read the verse closer to-the-MT-sense in their citations, despite-following-LXX vocabulary in-other-places.
Many will stumble over them. They will fall and be broken, snared and captured.
'And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken' tracks MT. STUMBLE-AND-FALL — Luke 2:34's 'this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel' Christologically-extends.
Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples.
'Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples' tracks MT. SEAL-THE-TEACHING. Daniel 12:4 ('seal the book until the time of the end') extends apocalyptically. Revelation 22:10 reverses ('do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book').
I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my hope in him.
'I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him' tracks MT. WAIT-FOR-THE-LORD. HEBREWS 2:13 CITES: 'And again: I will put my trust in him.' Hebrews applies this-verse to Christ — Christ-as-the-faithful-waiter on the Father.
Look -- here I am, with the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
'Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion' tracks MT. HEBREWS 2:13 CITES: 'And again: BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN GOD HAS GIVEN ME (idou egō kai ta paidia ha moi edōken ho theos).' Hebrews 2:13 applies this verse Christologically — Christ identifying-with-the-children he-has-been-given. Heb 2 develops Christ-as-the-firstborn-among-many-brothers.
When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter" -- should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
'And when they say to you: Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter — should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?' tracks MT. ANTI-NECROMANCY counsel. 1 Sam 28's Saul-and-the-witch-of-Endor background.
To the Torah and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no dawn for them.
'To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn' tracks MT.
They will pass through the land, hard-pressed and hungry. And when they are famished, they will become enraged and curse their king and their God. They will look upward,
'They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward' tracks MT.
and they will look to the earth -- and see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into thick darkness.
'And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness' tracks MT. THICK-DARKNESS — sets up chapter 9's GREAT-LIGHT contrast.