In Isaiah 8:4 how could the boy not know how to cry "my father" or "my mother" by the time Samaria was plundered?

Question

The prophet pronounces that Samaria will be plundered before his son knows how to cry "my father" or "my mother"

Isaiah 8:4 ESV

4 for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

Samaria is plundered by the king of Assyria in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel which makes the son of the prophet between nine and twelve.

2 kings 17 ESV

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute

By the time Samaria is plundered as a fulfilment of the prophet's pronouncement the boy is old enough (between nine and twelve) to cry "my father" or "my mother"

What did prophet mean that the boy would be unable to cry "my father or "my mother?".

Answer 1

Isaiah 8:

3 And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

Strong's 4122: Maher-shalal-hash-baz -- 'swift (is) booty, speedy (is) prey', symbolic name of Isaiah's son

The name implies that it was a quickie.

OP: Samaria is plundered by the king of Assyria in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel which makes the son of the prophet between nine and twelve.

Historically, there was a quick plunder into Samaria before that.

Pulpit explains:

The spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the King of Assyria. Scripture does not record the fulfillment of this prophecy, ... . But the inscriptions of Tiglath-Pileser himself supply the deficiency.

This is an extra-Biblical record.

They state that this monarch "sent the population, the goods of the people of Beth-Omri, and their furniture to the land of Assyria;" after which he "appointed Husih (Hoshea) to the dominion ever them," and fixed their annual tribute at two talents of gold and a thousand talents of silver (see 'Records of the Past,' vol. 5. p. 52).

Answer 2

Isaiah 8:4 "For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, 'My father, and my mother,' the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away."

It means before this son of Isaiah gets big enough to even say a word (mother and father), the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be gone.

Remember that Damascus was the capital city of Assyria, and Samaria was the capital city of the House of Israel.

Isaiah is instructed to write this in such a language that all the people would hear and understand.

Let there be no fear in all of the [nation] house of Judah concerning those ten tribes to the north of the house of Israel that were plotting to destroy her. God will not let it happen. So Isaiah would never forget, he named his child after that promise.

Symbolically this is porphecy even to us a type for AntiChrist.

He is to "be hasty to get to the spoil and he is going to speed to the prey".

Satan is going to divide the spoils of this world. His destruction will be swift upon the entire world as he comes in peacefully and prosperously

Daniel 8:25 “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”

His target is the soul of every man women and child to worship himself.

Revelation 13: the second beast.

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resource : Roger Christopherson https://www.theseason.org/nt.htm