Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hashbaz.
Isaiah 8:1-22 and Isaiah 9:7. The first seven verses of Isaiah 9:1-21 belong to this section. Isaiah 8:1-22 continues the subject of Isaiah 7:1-25, but a later period (cf. Isaiah 8:4 with Isaiah 7:16), implying that the interval until the accomplishment is shorter now than then. The tone of Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 8:21-22 expresses calamity more immediate and afflictive than Isaiah 7:4; Isaiah 7:15; Isaiah 7:22.
The Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll - suitable for letters large enough to be read by all.
Roll - Hebrew, gilaayown (H1549) according to the Chaldaic and others, a tablet of wood, metal, or stone (Isaiah 30:8); a different Hebrew word, luwach (H3871), 'a table,' or tablet: sometimes coated with wax, upon which characters were traced with a pointed instrument or iron stylus: skins and papyrus were also used (Isaiah 19:7). The Syriac, Arabic, and Septuagint support the English version. The root is gaalah (H1540), to reveal; or else gaalal (H1556), to roll (whence mªgilaah (H4039), a roll or volume comes).
Write in it with a man's pen - i:e., in ordinary characters,which the humblest can read (so Habakkuk 2:2). Hebrew, 'ªnowsh (H582) means a common man, as contrasted with the upper ranks (Revelation 21:17, "according to the measure of a man" - i:e., an ordinary measure; Romans 3:5). Compare Habakkuk 2:2, note, Grotius' interpretation. Not in hieroglyphics. The object was that, after the event, all might see that it had been predicted by Isaiah.
Concerning - the title and subject of the prophecy.
Mahar-shalal-hash-baz - "They (i:e., the Assyrians) hasten to the spoil (namely, to spoil Syria and Samaria), they speed to the prey (Gesenius). Otherwise, 'the spoil (i:e., spoiler) hastens, the rapine speeds forward' (Maurer). As "Immanuel," the prophet's first son, was given as the sign of deliverance to Judah, so Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, the second sign, is the sign of destruction to Judah's enemies.