The Meaning of Isaiah 8:1 Explained

Isaiah 8:1

KJV: Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Take to thee a great tablet, and write upon it with a graving tool of man, To haste spoil, enjoy prey.'

Darby: And Jehovah said to me, Take thee a great tablet, and write thereon with a man's style, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto me, Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it with the pen of a man, For Maher-shalal-hash-baz;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover the LORD  said  unto me, Take  thee a great  roll,  and write  in it with a man's  pen  concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. 

What does Isaiah 8:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh instructed Isaiah to take a large flat surface (Heb. gillayon) appropriate for posting as a placard. He was to write clearly on it Maher-shalal-hash-baz ("speeding to the plunder, hurrying to the spoil").
"Soldiers would shout these words to their comrades as they defeated and plundered their foes." [1]
This public notice had a double purpose: to announce a coming attack on Syria and Israel and to announce the birth of Isaiah"s son.
"Isaiah was to make his message as public and eye-catching as possible." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 8:1-4 - A Foreign Foe-God's Instrument
Ahaz, as we have seen, summoned the king of Assyria to his aid. This policy, dictated by human prudence, was fraught with vast peril. He and his advisers would rue their choice, and would have to pay dearly for introducing Assyria into the complicated politics of these minor states. Though this policy might effect a temporary success, like that which Isaiah indicated in the naming of his newborn child, yet ultimately it would work out disastrously, in the depopulation and desolation of the country. The impoverished peasants would have one cow instead of a herd, and two sheep instead of a flock. Is not this true of all the expedients which we substitute for faith in God? At first they promise well but they disappoint and fail. It is the old lesson: "Lean not to thine own understanding," Proverbs 3:5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 8

1  In Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, he prophesies Syria and Israel shall be subdued by Assyria
5  Judah likewise for their infidelity
9  God's judgments shall be irresistible
11  Comfort shall be to those who fear God
19  Great afflictions to idolaters

What do the individual words in Isaiah 8:1 mean?

Moreover said Yahweh to me take to a scroll large and write on it with a pen of man to - - concerning Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י קַח־ לְךָ֖ גִּלָּי֣וֹן גָּד֑וֹל וּכְתֹ֤ב עָלָיו֙ בְּחֶ֣רֶט אֱנ֔וֹשׁ לְמַהֵ֥ר שָׁלָ֖ל חָ֥שׁ בַּֽז

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  Moreover  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
קַח־  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
גִּלָּי֣וֹן  a  scroll 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּלָּיׄון  
Sense: table, tablet, mirror, flat shiny ornament.
גָּד֑וֹל  large 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּכְתֹ֤ב  and  write 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
עָלָיו֙  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בְּחֶ֣רֶט  with  a  pen 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶט  
Sense: an engraving tool, stylus, chisel, graving tool.
אֱנ֔וֹשׁ  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
שָׁלָ֖ל  - 
Parse:
חָ֥שׁ  - 
Parse:
בַּֽז  concerning  Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז  
Sense: symbolic name given by Isaiah by the Lord’s direction to Isaiah’s son; prophetic indication that Damascus and Samaria were soon to be plundered by the king of Assyria.