In the prophecies of Chapters 7–8, there is a recurring use of children’s names to convey the prophet’s message. Yesterday’s chapters mention Imanu El, that even before he knows to reject the bad and choose the good, Aram and Israel will no longer threaten Yehuda. Today, we meet Maher Shalal Chash Baz, who, before he knows to cry “father” or “mother,” “the might of Damascus, the plunder of Shomron, will all be borne away before the Assyrian king” (8:4) — Assyria will conquer Israel and Damascus. The descriptions of the children may also hint at a critique of the people: the child who does not yet know to reject the bad and choose the good symbolizes “Woe to those who say of evil, ‘good’; of good, ‘evil’” (5:20), while the child who does not know to call his father or mother symbolizes the king of Yehuda, who, in his distress, instead of calling his Father in heaven, turns to the king of Assyria.

The message of the name “Maher Shalal Chash Baz” appears to be good news for Yehuda: soon, Assyria will defeat Aram and Israel, thus removing the threat to Yehuda. However, soon after we see that the same Assyrian kingdom will also target Yehuda: “The Lord will bring upon them the potent waters of the great river – the king of Assyria in all his glory – to flood all the wadis, engulf all the banks, to course over Yehuda, flood it in passing, steep it to the neck. His wings spread over all your land's breadth, Imanu El” (8:7–8). The same force that delivers Yehuda from Israel and Aram also brings destruction, which will reach Yehuda as well.

What is the meaning of this contradiction, where the savior becomes the source of destruction? The following verses clarify: “Blast, peoples, then fall apart … Plot and plan – you will fail; confer, conspire; it will not come to be: Imanu El.” The prophet’s message to Achaz in this context is the same as we’ve seen before: “Keep calm and be still.” Do not involve yourself in wars or alliances. You are not part of this. Trust that God will save you. This aligns with the fundamental principles introduced at the start of Yeshayahu: the removal of human enterprises and the assertion that “The Lord alone will be exalted on that day.” Yeshayahu demands that Achaz act according to this guiding principle: human military alliances are irrelevant; trust solely in God!

Achaz, however, did not heed the prophet’s words and sought Assyria’s help. As mentioned yesterday, once a powerful empire is involved, the outcome cannot be controlled. This situation reflects both a consequence of disregarding the prophet’s words and a natural result of Achaz bringing Assyria into the picture: the same Assyria that saved Yehuda from Aram and Israel will now become the new threat to Yehuda. In this chapter, we see a transformation in the significance of the children’s names: She’ar Yashuv, Imanu El, and Maher Shalal Chash Baz, who were initially harbingers of salvation, become symbols of impending disaster due to Achaz’s disobedience to God’s command.
* She’ar Yashuv shifts from symbolizing return (emphasis on “ישוב”) to representing calamity in Chapter 10, highlighting that only a “שאר,” a remnant, will return (10:22).
* Imanu El, which symbolized God’s presence with us, turns into a critique of Achaz’s failure to act as though God is with us, leading to Assyria sweeping over Yehuda up to its neck (8:8).
* Maher Shalal Chash Baz, initially directed at Israel and Aram’s defeat, now extends its message of swift plunder and spoil to Yehuda as well.

Later in the chapter, there is a notable development in the prophetic strategy: “Bind up the testimony; seal Teaching in My students; I wait for the Lord, who hides His face from Yaakov; I long for Him” (8:16–17). After Achaz’s failure to declare trust in God, the prophet and God’s word will recede for a time. This creates a new test: will the people remain faithful to God even without an active prophetic voice? If they succeed, it may rectify Achaz’s sin: the ability to remain calm and still, even without a prophet’s guidance, and to trust in God — Who alone is the true savior, without resorting to diviners or necromancers.

The attached article by Hanan Eshel addresses one of the chapter’s more challenging verses, the final verse of Chapter 8. Eshel suggests interpreting it through a comparison to the battle between Asa and Basha, along with a geographical analysis of that battle and the war described in our chapter. Building on this, he proposes an explanation for the mention of “Midyan’s Day” in Chapter 9. Regarding Midyan’s Day, it aligns with our chapter’s themes from a theological perspective: in the battle against Midyan, Gidon was instructed to reduce the number of fighters, since “Israel might glorify themselves instead of Me, thinking, ‘My own hands saved me’” (Shoftim 7:2). Similarly, in our chapter, the prophet strives to instill recognition among the people that salvation comes solely from God.