1 Moreouer the Lord said vnto mee, Take thee a great roule, and write in it with a mans penne, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 And I tooke vnto mee faithfull witnesses to record, Uriah the Priest, and Zechariah the sonne of Ieberechiah.
3 And I went vnto the Prophetesse, and shee conceiued and bare a sonne, then said the Lord to mee, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
4 For before the childe shall haue knowledge to cry, My father and my mother, the riches of Damascus, and the spoile of Samaria shalbe taken away before the king of Assyria.
5 ¶ The Lord spake also vnto me againe, saying,
6 For so much as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that goe softly, and reioyce in Rezin, and Remaliahs sonne:
7 Now therefore behold, the Lord bringeth vp vpon them the waters of the riuer strong and many, euen the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come vp ouer all his channels, and goe ouer all his bankes.
8 And hee shall passe through Iudah, he shall ouerflow and goe ouer, he shall reach euen to the necke; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
9 ¶ Associate your selues, O ye people, and yee shalbe broken in pieces; and giue eare all ye of farre countreys: gird your selues, and ye shalbe broken in pieces; gird your selues, and ye shalbe broken in pieces.
10 Take counsell together, and it shall come to nought: speake the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with vs.
11 ¶ For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walke in the way of this people, saying,
12 Say ye not, A confederacie to all them, to whom this people shall say, A confederacie; neither feare yee their feare, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctifie the Lord of hostes himselfe, and let him bee your feare, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shalbe for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rocke of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a ginne, and for a snare to the inhabitants of Ierusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Binde vp the Testimonie, seale the Law among my disciples.
17 And I wil wait vpon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob, and I will looke for him.
18 Behold, I, and the children whom the Lord hath giuen me, are for signes, and for wonders in Israel: from the Lord of hostes, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
19 ¶ And when they shall say vnto you; Seeke vnto them that haue familiar spirits, and vnto wizards that peepe and that mutter: should not a people seeke vnto their God? for the liuing, to the dead?
20 To the Law and to the Testimonie: if they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
21 And they shall passe through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to passe, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselues, and curse their King, and their God, and looke vpward.
22 And they shall looke vnto the earth: and behold trouble and darkenesse, dimnesse of anguish; and they shall be driuen to darkenesse.
Exhortations and warnings. (1-8) Comfort for those who fear God. (9-16) Afflictions to idolaters. (17-22)1-8 The prophet is to write on a large roll, or on a metal tablet, words which meant, "Make speed to spoil, hasten to the prey:" pointing out that the Assyrian army should come with speed, and make great spoil. Very soon the riches of Damascus and of Samaria, cities then secure and formidable, shall be taken away by the king of Assyria. The prophet pleads with the promised Messiah, who should appear in that land in the fulness of time, and, therefore, as God, would preserve it in the mean time. As a gentle brook is an apt emblem of a mild government, so an overflowing torrent represents a conqueror and tyrant. The invader's success was also described by a bird of prey, stretching its wings over the whole land. Those who reject Christ, will find that what they call liberty is the basest slavery. But no enemy shall pluck the believer out of Emmanuel's hand, or deprive him of his heavenly inheritance.
9-16 The prophet challenges the enemies of the Jews. Their efforts would be vain, and themselves broken to pieces. It concerns us, in time of trouble, to watch against all such fears as put us upon crooked courses for our own security. The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we should see all the power of our enemies restrained. The Lord, who will be a Sanctuary to those who trust in him, will be a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an offence to us, they will undo us. The apostle quotes this as to all who persisted in unbelief of the gospel of Christ, #1Pe 2:8|. The crucified Emmanuel, who was and is a Stumbling-stone and Rock of offence to unbelieving Jews, is no less so to thousands who are called Christians. The preaching of the cross is foolishness in their esteem; his doctrines and precepts offend them.
17-22 The prophet foresaw that the Lord would hide his face; but he would look for his return in favour to them again. Though not miraculous signs, the children's names were memorials from God, suited to excite attention. The unbelieving Jews were prone to seek counsel in difficulties, from diviners of different descriptions, whose foolish and sinful ceremonies are alluded to. Would we know how we may seek to our God, and come to the knowledge of his mind? To the law and to the testimony; for there you will see what is good, and what the Lord requires. We must speak of the things of God in the words which the Holy Ghost teaches, and be ruled by them. To those that seek to familiar spirits, and regard not God's law and testimony, there shall be horror and misery. Those that go away from God, go out of the way of all good; for fretfulness is a sin that is its own punishment. They shall despair, and see no way of relief, when they curse God. And their fears will represent every thing as frightful. Those that shut their eyes against the light of God's word, will justly be left to darkness. All the miseries that ever were felt or witnessed on earth, are as nothing, compared with what will overwhelm those who leave the words of Christ, to follow delusions.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.