מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז
𐤌𐤄𐤓 𐤔𐤋𐤋 𐤇𐤔 𐤁𐤆
Maher Shalal Chash Baz
H4122 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A symbolically constructed personal name meaning 'Swift is the plunder, speedy is the spoil.' It functions as a prophetic sign name assigned to a son of Isaiah, expressing the immediacy and certainty of imminent capture and looting by foreign invaders in the prophetic context of Isaiah. The constituent words emphasize rapid movement toward booty and prey, underscoring the message of swift conquest and spoiling.
Semantic Range
personal name, prophetic sign-name, literary device to indicate rapid plundering and conquest, symbol of imminent invasion or judgment
Root / Etymology
From the roots מהר (to hasten), שלל (spoil, plunder), חש (to hurry), and בז (prey, plunder). The name is a concatenation of these lexical elements, forming a compound that conveys the prophetic message. The individual terms each have long-standing usage in Biblical Hebrew: מהר ('to hasten'), שלל ('plunder, loot'), חש ('to be swift'), בז ('prey, spoil').
Historical & Contextual Notes
This name appears exclusively in Isaiah 8:1-4 as a prophetic sign-act, assigned to the child of Isaiah. The compound formulation is rare and unique to this context, reflecting both a literary and an oracular device common in the 8th century BCE prophetic tradition in Israel and Judah. Unlike ordinary personal names, Mahêr Shâlâl Châsh Baz is highly descriptive, intentionally constructed to convey urgency and the impending judgment on Damascus and Samaria. English translations often transliterate the name, though some historically rendered it as 'Haste to the spoil, swift to the prey.' Later Jewish and Christian traditions continue to reference the name as a signifier of rapid judgment, but historically, within the book of Isaiah, it remains a singular prophetic proper name. No evidence suggests the term was used as a general label or title outside this context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מַהֵר and שָׁלָל and חוּשׁ and בַּז; hasting (is he (the enemy) to the) booty, swift (to the) prey; Maher-Shalal-Chash-Baz; the symbolical name of the son of Isaiah; Maher-sha-lal-bash-baz.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מהר (m-h-r) — to hasten, hurry, act swiftly
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4106 | מָהִיר | quick, ready |
| H4116 | מָהַר | as making haste |
| H4117 | מָהַר | to hasten |
| H4118 | מַהֵר | Hurry! |
| H4119 | מֹהַר | with bride-price |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4122-02 |
חָ֥שׁ | chash | HNp |
Hash | Swift | 2 |
H4122-01 |
בַּֽז | baz | HNp |
Baz | Swift-Plunder, Speedy-Prey | 2 |
H4122-05 |
שָׁלָ֖ל | shalal | HNp |
Shalal | plunder | 2 |
H4122-04 |
מַהֵ֥ר | maher | HNp |
Maher | Hasten! | 1 |
H4122-03 |
לְ/מַהֵ֥ר | lemaher | HR/Np |
to hasten | to hasten urgently | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4122-03 |
Isaiah 8:1 | לְ/מַהֵ֥ר | lemaher | HR/Np |
to hasten | to hasten urgently |
H4122-05 |
Isaiah 8:1 | שָׁלָ֖ל | shalal | HNp |
spoil | plunder |
H4122-02 |
Isaiah 8:1 | חָ֥שׁ | chash | HNp |
swift | Swift |
H4122-01 |
Isaiah 8:1 | בַּֽז | baz | HNp |
prey | Swift-Plunder, Speedy-Prey |
H4122-04 |
Isaiah 8:3 | מַהֵ֥ר | maher | HNp |
Maher | Hasten! |
H4122-05 |
Isaiah 8:3 | שָׁלָ֖ל | shalal | HNp |
Shalal | plunder |
H4122-02 |
Isaiah 8:3 | חָ֥שׁ | chash | HNp |
Hash | Swift |
H4122-01 |
Isaiah 8:3 | בַּֽז | baz | HNp |
Baz | Swift-Plunder, Speedy-Prey |