Isaiah 8:4
in Isaiah 8For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and, My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.
KJV
For 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.
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This verse in Isaiah 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseChapter 8 — Verses 1-4. And the Lord said to me: Take for yourself a large book, and write in it with the pen of a man, quickly seize the spoils, swiftly plunder. And I appointed faithful witnesses for myself, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Barachiah, and I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son.
This site's exposition
she conceived and gave birth
on Isaiah 8:3-4
The prophetess bears a son the Lord names Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Before the boy can cry Father or Mother, "the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off." Gill and Clarke set this beside the child of chapter 7 as a second dated clock toward the Assyrian invasion.
This site's exposition
before the boy knows how to cry
The boy of 8:3 sets the time, as the boy of 7:16 did. Clarke and Barnes put the fulfillment within three years, when the king of Assyria took Damascus and killed Rezin. 2 Kings 16:9 records it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
For that expression of Isaiah 'He shall take the power of Damascus and spoils of Samaria,' foretold that the power of the evil demon that dwelt in Damascus should be overcome by Christ as soon as He was born; and this is proved to have happened. For the Magi, who were held in bondage for the commission of all evil deeds through the power of that demon, by coming to worship Christ, shows that they have revolted from that dominion which held them captive; and this [dominion] the Scripture has showed us to reside in Damascus. Moreover, that sinful and unjust power is termed well in parable, Samaria. And none of you can deny that Damascus was, and is, in the region of Arabia, although now it belongs to what is called Syrophoenicia. Hence it would be becoming for you, sirs, to learn what you have not perceived, from those who have received grace from God, namely, from us Christians; and not to strive in every way to maintain your own doctrines, dishonouring those of God.
I, on my part, now wish to engage with you in a discussion on the allegorical expressions of the apostle. What figures of speech could the novel god have found in the prophets (fit for himself)? "He led captivity captive," [Ephesians 4:8] says the apostle. With what arms? In what conflicts? From the devastation of what country? From the overthrow of what city? What women, what children, what princes did the Conqueror throw into chains?
For, before the child knew how to call his father and mother, as Isaiah had prophesied of him, he took the strength of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria. That is, before he uttered human speech through his humanity, he took the strength of Damascus or that which gave confidence to Damascus. For, in the estimation of the world, that city had flourished for some time on account of her riches. But preeminence in riches is gained by gold, and the magi as suppliants offered gold to Christ.
The Medieval Church1 voice
272. For before the child know. Here the interpretation of the sign is set out; and it is already clear according to the literal interpretation. According to the other interpretation, however: for before the child know, by created knowledge, his father, his putative father Joseph, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And his agrees with the other prophecy, chap. vii, 16. Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good, which requires a longer time than to distinguish his parents, and suits well to Shear-Jashub, who, being born some years before, was capable of that farther degree of knowledge, as soon as this was capable of the lower degree.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
1 ); for the Lord is righteous, and those that are troublesome shall be troubled. That forasmuch as there were many in Judah that were secretly in the interests of Syria and Israel, and were disaffected to the house of David, God would chastise them also by the king of Assyria, who should create a great deal of vexation to Judah, as was foretold, ch. vii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, my father, and my mother,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
For before the child - For my father and my mother, one MS. and the Vulgate have his father and his mother. The prophecy was accordingly accomplished within three years; when Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, went up against Damascus and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin, and also took the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and carried them captive to Assyria, 2Ki 15:29; 2Ki 16:9; 1Ch 5:26.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For before ... - This must have occurred in a short time - probably before the expiration of three years. A child would usually learn to address his parents in that time. In fact, the event here predicted occurred in less than three years from the time when the prophecy was spoken; see the notes at Isa 7:16. Before the king of Assyria - By the king, or by his conquests. By the spoil of Samaria here, is to be understood, not the plunder which should be carried away from the city, but from the kingdom of Samaria. In other places, the land is called by the name of the capital; compare 2Ki 17:26; 2Ki 23:19; Jer 31:5. The city of Samaria was not plundered until eighteen years after the time mentioned here by the prophet; Isa 8:5-6. These verses introduce again what was predicted in Isa 7:17, following, respecting the invasion of the land by the king of Assyria. The cause of the invasion is specified, and the consequences are foretold.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֗י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | 56 times |
| יֵדַ֣ע | yeda' | he will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| הַנַּ֔עַר | hanaar | the lad | H5288 → | 239 times |
| קְרֹ֖א | kero' | to call out | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אָבִ֣י | ʾavi | O father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאִמִּ֑י | veimi | and O mother my | H517 → | 220 times |
| יִשָּׂ֣א׀ | yisa' | someone will carry off | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֵ֣יל | cheil | [the] wealth of | H2428 → | 246 times |
| דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק | damesek | Damascus | H1834 → | 45 times |
| וְאֵת֙ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁלַ֣ל | shelal | [the] plunder of | H7998 → | 73 times |
| שֹׁמְר֔וֹן | shomeron | Samaria | H8111 → | 109 times |
| לִפְנֵ֖י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּֽׁוּר׃ ס | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
כִּ֗יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙<in> before
beteremH2962 →56 times
יֵדַ֣עhe will know
yeda'H3045 →945 times
הַנַּ֔עַרthe lad
hanaarH5288 →239 times
קְרֹ֖אto call out
kero'H7121 →733 times
אָבִ֣יO father my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
וְאִמִּ֑יand O mother my
veimiH517 →220 times
יִשָּׂ֣א׀someone will carry off
yisa'H5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֵ֣יל[the] wealth of
cheilH2428 →246 times
דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂקDamascus
damesekH1834 →45 times
וְאֵת֙and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
שְׁלַ֣ל[the] plunder of
shelalH7998 →73 times
שֹׁמְר֔וֹןSamaria
shomeronH8111 →109 times
לִפְנֵ֖י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
מֶ֥לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
אַשּֽׁוּר׃ סAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 9:11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Ephesians 1:4–5
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- 2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
- Ephesians 1:9–11
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Romans 8:28–30
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- 2 Timothy 1:9
Through
2 Kings 16:9So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.
it leads to
- Isaiah 22:6
Elam takes up a quiver, with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovers the shield.
- Amos 9:7
“Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from…
- Amos 1:3–5
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron.
- Isaiah 22:6
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceUpper MesopotamiaAssyriaMesopotamian empire whose capital Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching and fell to Nahum's burden in 612 BC; the rod of God's ang…
- PlaceThe northern hill countrySamariaThe hill Omri bought and built his capital on, where Ahab raised a temple to Baal, where the four lepers found the Aramean camp em…
- PlaceSyriaDamascusThe Syrian city Saul was travelling to with letters of arrest when the light stopped him on the road; he entered it blind and left…
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 202:2; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter LXXVIII; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, The Five Books Against Marcion, Book 5 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.