Isaiah 8

Isaiah · Chapter 8

Isaiah 8:20

1Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.2And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.4For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.5The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,6Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, 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:8And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.9Associate yourselves, 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.10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.11For 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,12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.13Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.17And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.18Behold, I 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.19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.21And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.22And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
to [the] instructionלְתוֹרָ֖הle-to-RAHH8451
instruction

תּוֹרָה (to.rah) 1) law, direction, instruction 1a) instruction, direction (human or divine) 1a1) body of prophetic teaching 1a2) instruction in Messianic age 1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction 1a4) body of legal directives 1b) law 1b1) law of the burnt offering 1b2) of special law, codes of law 1c) custom, manner 1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

and to [the] testimonyוְלִתְעוּדָ֑הve-lit-'u-DAHH8584
testimony

תְּעוּדָה (te.u.dah) 1) testimony, attestation, confirmation 1a) testimony, (prophetic) injunction 1b) attestation

ifאִם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

notלֹ֤אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they will speakיֹֽאמְרוּ֙yo-me-RUH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

according to the mannerכַּדָּבָ֣רka-da-VARH1697O
Chronicles

דָּבָר (da.var) This name means word, speaking

the thisהַזֶּ֔הha-ZEHH2088
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

thatאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

notאֵֽין־'ein-H0369
nothing

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of

dawnשָֽׁחַר׃SHA-charH7837
dawn

שַׁ֫חַר (sha.char) 1) dawn 1a) dawn 1b) at dawn (as adverb)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.