Isaiah 8:3
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;
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "the prophetess" is a bit of a spiritual honorific for Isaiah's wife, not necessarily meaning she had prophetic gifts herself, but reflecting the sacred calling of her husband and the prophetic significance of their son's birth and name. This emphasizes how, in ancient Israel, the whole family could be involved in God's message.
Following God's command to take a large scroll and write a prophecy, Isaiah now takes a more personal action: he goes to his wife, the prophetess, who conceives and bears a son. The Lord immediately instructs Isaiah to name this son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, a name that directly signifies the impending swift destruction and plunder of Israel and Syria by the Assyrians. This event is a tangible, living sign to underscore the urgency of the message God has given Isaiah.
Why is Isaiah's wife called a 'prophetess'? Was it just a title, or did it mean something more?
The text calls Isaiah's wife the "prophetess." While this could simply be an honorable title reflecting her husband's status, as was common in the ancient Near East, it's also possible she possessed prophetic gifts herself. Some scholars suggest this was a marriage of shared spiritual purpose, contrasting with other prophets who experienced difficult or solitary marital lives. Regardless, her role in this divine message is significant; she becomes a living symbol of God's impending judgment.
The name 'Maher-shalal-hash-baz' is a mouthful! What's so important about it, and why did God choose it?
The name 'Maher-shalal-hash-baz' is not just a random collection of syllables; it's a prophetic declaration in itself. It translates to something like 'Hurry, you spoil! The prey hastens!' This name served as an immediate, urgent sign for Judah. It declared that the Assyrian army was coming swiftly to plunder Damascus and Samaria, emphasizing the speed and severity of God's judgment upon those nations. The name wasn't just for the child, but a public proclamation of impending doom for Israel's enemies, and a warning to Judah to repent.
Understand the original words
nabi'ah · Hebrew Noun
One who speaks for God, serving as an intermediary to deliver divine messages to people. In the prophetic office, they often foretell future events or call the people to repentance based on the Law of God.
The birth of Maher-shalal-hash-baz is a stark, immediate sign of Assyria's coming judgment on Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel, underscoring God's active intervention in the political turmoil of the ancient Near East.
c. 740 BC
Syrian-Ephraimite War
The allied kingdoms of Syria (Aram) and Israel (Ephraim) attempt to force Judah into an anti-Assyrian alliance, attacking Jerusalem and deposing King Ahaz.
c. 735-732 BC
Assyrian Campaign Against Syria
Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria campaigns against Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting populations and expanding Assyrian influence.
c. 734 BC
Prophecy of Immanuel
Isaiah delivers the sign of Immanuel ('God with us') to King Ahaz, promising God's deliverance from the Syrian-Ephraimite threat, though also foretelling future judgment.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
The capital of Syria, Damascus, falls to the Assyrians under Tiglath-Pileser III, effectively ending the Syrian threat.
c. 732 BC
This passage also uses the naming of children as a prophetic sign to communicate God's judgment and eventual restoration, mirroring Isaiah's symbolic act.
Jeremiah 18:1-4Similar to Isaiah's use of his son's name, Jeremiah is instructed to go to the potter's house and observe the potter's work as a sign to the people, showing God's communication through symbolic actions.
Matthew 1:22-23This New Testament passage directly quotes Isaiah 7:14 (which is closely related to Isaiah 8 in its context of the Immanuel sign) and highlights the fulfillment of prophecy through the birth of Jesus, demonstrating how names and births can carry profound divine meaning.
Isaiah 7:14-16This passage immediately precedes Isaiah 8 and introduces the prophecy of Immanuel, a name also given to a child. The birth of Maher-shalal-hash-baz in chapter 8 serves as a further, more urgent sign related to the same historical crisis.
barnesIsaiah 8:3: "And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz."
Then said the Lord ... - The name thus given was to be emblematic of a particular event - that Assyria would soon take away the spoil of Damascus and Samaria. It is not remarkable that the name Immanuel should also be given to the same child, as signifying the presence and protection of God in defending the nation from the invaders; see the notes at Isaiah…
jfbIsaiah 8:3: "And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz."
- prophetess—perhaps the same as the "virgin" (Isa 7:14), in the interim married as Isaiah's second wife: this is in the primary and temporary sense. Immanuel is even in this sense distinct from Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Thus nineteen months at least intervene from the prophecy (Isa 7:14), nine before the birth of Immanuel, and ten from that time to the birt…
The phrase "the prophetess" is a bit of a spiritual honorific for Isaiah's wife, not necessarily meaning she had prophetic gifts herself, but reflecting the sacred calling of her husband and the prophetic significance of their son's birth and name. This emphasizes how, in ancient Israel, the whole family could be involved in God's message.
Following God's command to take a large scroll and write a prophecy, Isaiah now takes a more personal action: he goes to his wife, the prophetess, who conceives and bears a son. The Lord immediately instructs Isaiah to name this son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, a name that directly signifies the impending swift destruction and plunder of Israel and Syria by the Assyrians. This event is a tangible, living sign to underscore the urgency of the message God has given Isaiah.
Following God's command to take a large scroll and write a prophecy, Isaiah now takes a more personal action: he goes to his wife, the prophetess, who conceives and bears a son. The Lord immediately instructs Isaiah to name this son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, a name that directly signifies the impending swift destruction and plunder of Israel and Syria by the Assyrians. This event is a tangible, living sign to underscore the urgency of the message God has given Isaiah.
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Birth of Maher-shalal-hash-baz
Isaiah's wife, the prophetess, conceives and bears a son whose name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, signifies the impending plundering of Damascus and Samaria by Assyria.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, Samaria, falls to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, leading to the exile of the northern tribes.
"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;" — The phrase "the prophetess" is a bit of a spiritual honorific for Isaiah's wife, not necessarily meaning she had prophetic gifts herself, but reflecting the sacred calling of her husband and the prop…
