MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ

(Maʹher·shalʹal-hash-baz) [Hasten, O spoil! He has come quickly to the plunder; or, Hastening to the spoil, he has come quickly to the plunder].

Jehovah commanded Isaiah to write these prophetic words on a large tablet and have it attested to by reliable witnesses. Thereafter, he instructed the prophet to give this same expression as a name to his newborn son, declaring that before the child could say “My father!” and “My mother!” the king of Assyria would subjugate Judah’s enemies, Damascus and Samaria. (Isa. 8:1-4) The prophetic meaning of this name given to Isaiah’s second son was fulfilled within the designated time period. During the reign of Israel’s King Pekah, the Assyrian monarch Tiglath-pileser (III) invaded Israel, took many cities, plundered the land and carried numerous inhabitants into captivity. Thereafter, Pekah was murdered. (2 Ki. 15:29, 30) The king of Assyria also captured Syria’s capital city Damascus, took its people into exile and put Syrian King Rezin to death. (2 Ki. 16:9) In this way both of these kings who had conspired against Judah met their end. Later, in 740 B.C.E., the Assyrians overthrew Samaria, removing the apostate Israelites from that city and from the rest of the domain of the northern kingdom of Israel. (2 Ki. 17:1-6) Thus, this boy born to Isaiah by his wife (whom he terms “the prophetess”) proved to be in Israel a truthful and reliable ‘sign and miracle’ from Jehovah.—Isa. 8:3, 18.