Who was Maher-shalal-hash-baz in the Bible?

Maher-shalal-hash-baz was a son of the prophet Isaiah, given to him as a symbolic sign to the nation of Judah. His name, meaning 'swift is booty, speedy is prey,' was a prophetic message from God (Isaiah 8:1, 3).

What is the significance of Maher-shalal-hash-baz's name?

His name was a prophetic sign warning that the kingdoms of Israel and Aram (Syria) would soon be plundered by Assyria. It served as a tangible object lesson from God through Isaiah about coming judgment (Isaiah 8:4).

Why did Isaiah give his son this unusual name?

God commanded Isaiah to give his son this name as a public sign and prophecy. Before the child could speak, the threat from the northern alliance would be removed by Assyria, demonstrating God's control over nations (Isaiah 8:1-4).

Maher-shalal-hash-baz

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Maher-shalal-hash-baz, meaning "swift is booty, speedy is prey," was the symbolic name given to Isaiah's son (Isa.8.1,3).

Biography

Maher-shalal-hash-baz was the son of the prophet Isaiah, born during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah around 735-732 BC amid the Syro-Ephraimite crisis. His extraordinary name, the longest personal name in the Bible, means "swift is the booty, speedy is the prey" and was given by divine command as a prophetic sign. God instructed Isaiah to write the name on a large tablet before witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah, before the child was even conceived (Isa. 8:1-2). When the prophetess (Isaiah's wife) bore the son, God declared that before the boy could say "my father" or "my mother," the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria would be carried away by the king of Assyria (Isa. 8:3-4). This prophecy was fulfilled when Tiglath-Pileser III conquered Damascus in 732 BC.

Significance

Maher-shalal-hash-baz stands as one of the most vivid prophetic signs in Scripture, embodying God's message in a human life. His name proclaimed both judgment and reassurance: judgment upon Syria and Israel for their aggression against Judah, and reassurance to Ahaz that the threatening alliance would be shattered. Alongside his brother Shear-jashub ("a remnant shall return"), Maher-shalal-hash-baz formed part of Isaiah's declaration that he and his children were "signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD" (Isa. 8:18). This passage is echoed in Hebrews 2:13, connecting Isaiah's prophetic family to Christ's relationship with his spiritual children, deepening the Messianic significance of these sign-children.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherIsaiahMotherIsaiah's wife

Verse Appearances (2)

Isaiah

Isaiah 8:1 Isaiah 8:3

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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