The Meaning of Isaiah 8:4 Explained

Isaiah 8:4

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.

YLT: for before the youth doth know to cry, My father, and My mother, one taketh away the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Asshur.'

Darby: For before the lad knoweth 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.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 8:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Before the boy grew old enough to speak distinctly, Assyria (Tiglath-pileser III) would carry off the wealth of Damascus and Samaria (in732 B.C.; cf. Isaiah 7:15-16; 2 Kings 15:29). This brought to a close a200-year period in which the Aramean Kingdom played a leading role. [1] Thus Syria and Israel would not only fail in their attempt to bring Judah under their power (cf. Isaiah 7:6), but the king of Assyria would bring them under his power. This second promise is almost identical to the earlier one in Isaiah 7:4-9. Perhaps God intended it to be a second witness to the truthfulness of His Word.

Context Summary

Isaiah 8:1-4 - A Foreign Foe-God's Instrument
Ahaz, as we have seen, summoned the king of Assyria to his aid. This policy, dictated by human prudence, was fraught with vast peril. He and his advisers would rue their choice, and would have to pay dearly for introducing Assyria into the complicated politics of these minor states. Though this policy might effect a temporary success, like that which Isaiah indicated in the naming of his newborn child, yet ultimately it would work out disastrously, in the depopulation and desolation of the country. The impoverished peasants would have one cow instead of a herd, and two sheep instead of a flock. Is not this true of all the expedients which we substitute for faith in God? At first they promise well but they disappoint and fail. It is the old lesson: "Lean not to thine own understanding," Proverbs 3:5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 8

1  In Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, he prophesies Syria and Israel shall be subdued by Assyria
5  Judah likewise for their infidelity
9  God's judgments shall be irresistible
11  Comfort shall be to those who fear God
19  Great afflictions to idolaters

What do the individual words in Isaiah 8:4 mean?

For before shall have knowledge the child to cry My father and My mother will be taken away - the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria before the king of Assyria -
כִּ֗י בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ יֵדַ֣ע הַנַּ֔עַר קְרֹ֖א אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֑י יִשָּׂ֣א ׀ אֶת־ חֵ֣יל דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק וְאֵת֙ שְׁלַ֣ל שֹׁמְר֔וֹן לִפְנֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר ס

בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙  before 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb
Root: טֶרֶם  
Sense: before, not yet, before that.
יֵדַ֣ע  shall  have  knowledge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הַנַּ֔עַר  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
קְרֹ֖א  to  cry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אָבִ֣י  My  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְאִמִּ֑י  and  My  mother 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
יִשָּׂ֣א ׀  will  be  taken  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֵ֣יל  the  riches 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק  of  Damascus 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דּוּמֶּשֶׂק 
Sense: an ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of Hermon, 30 (205 km) miles northeast of Jerusalem.
שְׁלַ֣ל  the  spoil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
שֹׁמְר֔וֹן  of  Samaria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁמְרֹון  
Sense: the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 0 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam.
לִפְנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מֶ֥לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּֽׁוּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation