1 MOREOVER, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great roll, [ He needs a lot of room to write as this is going to be a lng vision. This vision will actually include the next 5 chapters as it is all the same revelation. ] and write in it with a man’s pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. ["to speed to the spoil" - The date of this prophecy concerning the capture of the northern kingdom by "the king of Assyria" can be determined quite closely because the newly-born son (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) would not even be old enough to speak before the captivity was to take place. This capture of the ten tribes comprising the kingdom of Israel is usually dated 722 B.C.]

2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me: Call his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz. [ So after the Lord has given Isaiah this long revelation his wife has a baby boy, whom the Lord tells Isaiah that he needs to name him "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" which means "to hasten the spoil He hastens the prey". Suggesting that the time had come for Assyria to destroy the Northern kingdom of Israel. Previously in the chapter before that Isaiah told King Ahaz that this would happen in the next 65 years, so we are there now. ]

4 For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, [ To speak. Or this gives us a time frame that what he is going to say here will happen before Isaiah's son "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" ever speaks. ] My father, and \n\t\tmy mother, before the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:

6 Forasmuch as this people [ The Northern Kingdom if Israel. ] refuseth the waters of Shiloah [ Water source number one "Shiloah". ] that go softly, [ "Shiloah" was a perennial spring that flowed softly, it is the ONLY perennial spring in Jerusalem and was symbolic of the covenant waters of baptism. Suggesting that the Northern Kingdom had rejected these waters for the raging waters that lay ahead, Next verse. ] and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them [ The ten tribes who are in the North. ] the waters of the river, [ Especially when compared to the soft flow of a spring as mentioned as the first water source above. Suggesting how the raging torrent of the King of Assyria would now over run their lands and carry away the captives. ] strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks. [ Isaiah prophesied that Assyria would also invade much of the territory of Judah while capturing the northern kingdom. ]

8 And he [ The King of Assyria. ] shall pass through Judah; [ So he will not stay. This is most likely because the righteous King Hezekiah who had earlier caused the people of Judah to repent, he rededicated the temple and encouraged all to repent and return to the temple and renew their covenants. They partook of the soft flowing waters of "Shiloah". This repentance prepared them for the on coming surge of destruction that was coming, just as it can for us. ] he shall overflow and go over, he [ The King of Assyria and his army. It would look just like a mighty wall of rushing water in a sense as the Assyrian army came up to the city walls. There were some 200,000 soldiers in that mighty army, so in a way Judah could just barely keep her head above water. (Isaiah 37:35-37) ] shall reach even to the neck; [ So we are using the symbology of a great river of water, suggesting that it will be all that Judah can do to keep her head above the water level. This is a prophecy that we need to observe as the same thing will transpire in the last days when the king of Assyria will overflow the land of Joseph (America). ] and the stretching out of his wings [ His power and influence. ] shall fill the breadth of thy land, [ Will be everywhere. ] , O Immanuel.

9  Associate yourselves, [ This is referent to the association that Israel made in a pact with Syria to avoid paying taxes to the Assyrians. Isaiah is tell us how that will all play out. ] O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; [ The Israeli-Syrian confederation will not last and it will not save them. ] speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us. [ Judah will be delivered if they do repent. It is the only way. We know that later the nations of Israel and Syria were overcome, while Judah was saved - because of the righteous leadership of Hezekiah who refocused the nation of Judah to return and focus on their covenants. As a result they were delivered miraculously by the hand of God. ]

11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts [ What exactly does “host” mean? The phrase “Lord of Hosts” is the same as the “Lord of Sabaoth.” “The Lord of Sabaoth was a title of Jehovah; the hosts were the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:45), but also included the angelic armies of heaven” (Bible Dictionary, “Sabaoth,” ] himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, [ Prophecy that even though Judah is spared early on they will eventually forsake their covenants, to the point of crucifying the God of Israel, which would ultimately lead to their destruction shortly after the Saviors death. All the while there would be another branch of Israel - Joseph who would flourish in America until they would be wiped out around 420 AD. THe Lost ten tribes where the first to be scattered while Joseph was the last. So Jospeh will be the first to be restored and gathered in modern times and the Lost Ten tribes the last ones to be restored in the latter days. ] , for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17 And I will wait [ The Hebrew word for "wait" is “entwined”. Imagine two ropes being braided into each other, so that in the end, you don't know where one starts and the other one ends. Greek/Hebrew Definitions. Strong's #6960: qavah (pronounced kaw-vaw') a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect:--gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon). ] upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, [ After the period of the destruction of Judah the Lords covenant blessings will be hid up, or not available to man for a period. Not until they are restored. ] and I will look for him. [ Suggesting that Isaiah will be looking for the one who will restore the covenant blessings of God to the earth. This will happen after the record of Joseph is revealed to the earth. ]

18 Behold, I [ Isaiah. ] and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.

19 And when [ The world. ] they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards [ The false prophets, false teachers, the men of the world - its professors and those who profess all understanding. ] that peep and mutter— should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead? [ Or don't go to those guys to understand the things of God, he is not with them. If you want to know the things of God you need to search the words the prophets who are dead. Suggesting that learning in a worldly sense does not prepare one to learn of God, they do not have any advantage. To learn of God you need to be taught by God. We need to seek this out on our own - this is what Nephi is trying to teach us as it is what he did, what Lehi did, what Jacob did - the list goes on. Why not add your name to that list. (2 Ne. 32:4 "if we do not ask, or knock we wil not be brought into the light"). ]

20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

21 And they [ The Assyrians. ] shall pass through it hardly bestead [ Without opposition. ] and hungry; [ The Assyrians will plunder and take everything of any value. ] and it shall come to pass that when [ Wicked Israel. ] they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, [ While the unrighteous of Israel look to the heavens to curse God. ] and look upward.

22 And they [ In a future day, the righteous of Israel. ] shall look unto the earth [ Those who have been taken away, the lost ten tribes shall look to the earth as a place were they can have all of their covenant blessings restablished. ] and behold trouble, and darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness. [ When the ten tribes do return it will be to a world filled with darkness. ]