And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.
And I went to the prophetess, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then the LORD said to me, 'Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.'
The writer is describing how God told him to give his newborn son a specific prophetic name that would serve as a sign to the people.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of Isaiah's prophecy around 734-732 BC, the prophet Isaiah lived in Judah during a period of political instability with threats from the Assyrian Empire, as Syria and Israel formed an alliance against Judah. God commanded Isaiah to marry the prophetess, likely his wife, and name their son Mahershalalhashbaz, meaning "swift to the plunder, quick to the spoil," as a symbolic sign of the impending Assyrian invasion and judgment on Israel's enemies. This act served as a prophetic warning to the people of Judah to trust in God rather than human alliances during this time of crisis.
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