Isaiah 8:1

Comp. ch. Isaiah 30:8; Habakkuk 2:2. a great roll a great tablet (R.V.). The word is used in ch. Isaiah 3:23 of polished metal mirrors; here it means a smooth flat tablet of wood, stone or metal.

with a man's pen i.e. "in common characters" (R.V. marg.) easily legible and understood by the people (Habakkuk 2:2). Such a direction bears witness to an extensive knowledge of writing in Isaiah's time. The famous inscription in the Siloam tunnel, belonging probably to this age, is thought to have been carved by the workmen for their amusement.

Maher-shalal-hash-baz That is, " Haste-spoil-speed-booty." Syntactically the enigmatic legend is capable of more than one construction. Most probably the verbs are participles; and then the nouns may be either nominative to them, or in the accusative of direction. I.e. we may translate either "Spoil hasteneth booty speedeth" or "Hasting to (the) spoil speeding to (the) booty." The last seems preferable. (Comp. Goethe's Raufebold, Habebald, Eilebeutein the second part of Faust.)

concerning is in Hebr. simply "to" or "for," a formula of dedication common on seals and epitaphs. The tablet relates to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.