Behold,I and the childrenwhomthe LORDhas givenme are for signsand wondersin Israelfrom the LORDof hosts,who dwellson MountZion.
He liftedhis eyesand sawthe womenand the children,and said,"Whoare thesewith you?" So he said,"The childrenwhomGodhas graciouslygivenyour servant."
For Davidsaid,"The LORDGodof Israelhas givenrestto His people,and He dwellsin Jerusalemforever.
Posteritywill serveHim; It will be toldof the Lordto the [coming] generation.
I have becomea marvelto many,For You are my strongrefuge.
Singpraisesto the LORD,who dwellsin Zion;Declareamong the peoplesHis deeds.
For He who requiresbloodremembersthem; He does not forgetthe cryof the afflicted.
Cryaloudand shoutfor joy,O inhabitantof Zion,For greatin your midstis the HolyOneof Israel.
"Howthen will one answerthe messengersof the nation?That the LORDhas foundedZion,And the afflictedof His peoplewill seekrefugein it."
And the LORDsaid,"Evenas My servantIsaiahhas gonenakedand barefootthreeyearsas a signand tokenagainstEgyptand Cush,
Then the moonwill be abashedand the sunashamed,For the LORDof hostswill reignon MountZionand in Jerusalem,And [His] glorywill be beforeHis elders.
But the LORDwas pleasedTo crushHim, putting[Him] to grief;IfHe would renderHimself[as] a guiltoffering,He will see[His] offspring,He will prolong[His] days,And the goodpleasureof the LORDwill prosperin His hand.
"For beforethe boywill know[enough] to refuseeviland choosegood,the landwhosetwokingsyou dreadwill be forsaken.
Then the LORDsaidto Isaiah,"Goout nowto meetAhaz,you and your sonShear-jashub,at the endof the conduitof the upperpool,on the highwayto the fuller'sfield,
So I approachedthe prophetess,and she conceivedand gavebirthto a son.Then the LORDsaidto me, "Namehim Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
Thiswill be the signto you,' declaresthe LORD,'that I am going to punishyou in thisplace,sothat you may knowthat My wordswill surelystandagainstyou for harm.'
"Load[the baggage] on [your] shoulderin their sight[and] carry[it] out in the dark.You shall coveryour faceso that you cannotseethe land,for I have setyou as a signto the houseof Israel."
"I will setMy faceagainst that manand makehim a signand a proverb,and I will cuthim offfrom amongMy people.So you will knowthat I am the LORD.
"Then getyourself an ironplateand setit up as an ironwallbetweenyou and the city,and setyour facetowardit so that it is under siege,and besiegeit. Thisis a signto the houseof Israel.
Nowlisten,Joshuathe highpriest,you and your friendswho are sittingin frontof you-- indeedthey are menwho are a symbol,for behold,I am going to bringin My servantthe Branch.
"Thussaysthe LORD,'I will returnto Zionand will dwellin the midstof Jerusalem.Then Jerusalemwill be calledthe Cityof Truth,and the mountainof the LORDof hosts[will be called] the HolyMountain.'
And allwho heardit wonderedat the things which were toldthem by the shepherds.
And Simeonblessedthem and saidto MaryHis mother,"Behold,this[Child] is appointedfor the falland riseof manyin Israel,and for a signto be opposed--
"They shall becomea signand a wonderon you and your descendantsforever.
partlyby being made a public spectaclethrough reproachesand tribulations,and partlyby becomingsharerswith thosewho were sotreated.
But you have cometo MountZionand to the cityof the livingGod,the heavenlyJerusalem,and to myriadsof angels,
