And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
Parallel translations
- WEB and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
- BSB And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”
- NKJV And I will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
- NASB And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
- NLT I asked Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah, both known as honest men, to witness my doing this.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God arranges reliable witnesses so the prophecy can be verified when it comes true.
Overview
Uriah the priest and Zechariah are called as credible, official witnesses to the dated sign. Their testimony would later confirm that Isaiah's prophecy was given before, not after, the events. This legal care underscores God's concern that his word be publicly verifiable and trustworthy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Kgs 16:10–11And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
- 2 Kgs 16:15–16And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king’s burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.
- 2 Kgs 18:2Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
- 2 Cor 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
- Ruth 4:2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
- Ruth 4:10–11Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 8:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.