Isaiah 8:3 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz. And I went unto the prophetess - perhaps the same as the "virgin" (Isaiah 7:14), in the interim married as Isaiah's second wife: this is in the primary and temporary sense. Immanuel is even in this sense distinct from Mahar-shalal-hash-baz. Thus, at least 19 months intervene from the prophecy (Isaiah 7:14) - 9 months before the birth of Immanuel, and 10 months from that time to the birth of Mahar-shalal-hash-baz: adding 11 or 12 months before the latter could cry, "Father" (Isaiah 8:4), we have about 3 years in all, agreeing with Isaiah 7:15-16.