Isaiah 7
7
The Virgin Will Have a Child
1When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Aram’s King Rezin and Israel’s King Pekah, son of Remaliah, went to Jerusalem to attack it, but they couldn’t defeat it. 2When word reached David’s family that the Arameans had made an alliance with Ephraim, the hearts of the king and his people were shaken as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear Jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the ditch of the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman’s Field. 4Say to him, ‘Be careful, stay calm, and don’t be afraid. Don’t lose heart because of the fierce anger of Rezin from Aram and Remaliah’s son. These two are smoldering logs.’ 5Aram, Ephraim, and Remaliah’s son have planned evil against you, saying, 6‘Let’s march against Judah, tear it apart, divide it among ourselves, and set up Tabeel’s son as its king.’ 7This is what the Almighty Lord says:
“It won’t take place; it won’t happen.
8The capital of Aram is Damascus,
and the leader of Damascus is Rezin.
Ephraim will be shattered within 65 years
so that it will no longer be a nation.
9The capital of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the leader of Samaria is Remaliah’s son.
If you don’t remain faithful,
you won’t remain standing.”
10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11“Ask the Lord your God for a sign. It can be anything you want.”
12But Ahaz answered, “I won’t ask; I wouldn’t think of testing the Lord.”
13“Listen now, descendants of David,” Isaiah said. “Isn’t it enough that you try the patience of mortals? Must you also try the patience of my God? 14So the Lord himself will give you this sign: A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel [God Is With Us]. 15He will eat cheese and honey until he knows how to reject evil and choose good. 16Indeed, before the boy knows how to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings who terrify you will be deserted.
17“The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your ancestor’s family a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah. ⌞He will bring⌟ the king of Assyria. 18On that day the Lord will whistle for the flies that are at the distant branches of the Nile River in Egypt and for the bees that are in Assyria. 19All of them will come and settle in the deep valleys, in the cracks in the cliffs, on all the thornbushes, and at all the water holes.
20“On that day the Lord will hire the king of Assyria from beyond the Euphrates River to be a razor to shave the hair on your head, the hair on your legs, and even your beard. 21On that day a person will keep alive a young cow and two sheep. 22That person will eat cheese, because they will produce so much milk. Everyone who is left in the land will eat cheese and honey. 23On that day, in every place where there were 1,000 vines (worth 1,000 pieces of silver), there will be briars and thorns. 24People will come there with bows and arrows ⌞to hunt⌟ because the whole land will be filled with briars and thorns. 25And you will no longer be able to go to all the hills which used to be cultivated because they will be filled with briars and thorns. It will be a place for turning oxen loose and letting sheep run.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 7
7
A Message for Ahaz
1When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria#7:1 Hebrew Aram; also in 7:2, 4, 5, 8. and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan.
2The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel#7:2 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 7:5, 8, 9, 17. against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.
3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub#7:3a Shear-jashub means “A remnant will return.” and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.#7:3b Or bleached. 4Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, 6‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’ 7But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“This invasion will never happen;
it will never take place;
8for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,
and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.
As for Israel, within sixty-five years
it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
9Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,
and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.
Unless your faith is firm,
I cannot make you stand firm.”
The Sign of Immanuel
10Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11“Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.#7:11 Hebrew as deep as Sheol.”
12But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”
13Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin#7:14 Or young woman. will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 15By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt#7:15 Or curds; also in 7:22. and honey. 16For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.
17“Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”
18In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees. 19They will come in vast hordes and settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places. 20In that day the Lord will hire a “razor” from beyond the Euphrates River#7:20a Hebrew the river.—the king of Assyria—and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.#7:20b Hebrew shave off the head, the hair of the legs, and the beard.
21In that day a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep or goats left. 22Nevertheless, there will be enough milk for everyone because so few people will be left in the land. They will eat their fill of yogurt and honey. 23In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver,#7:23 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or 11.4 kilograms in weight. will become patches of briers and thorns. 24The entire land will become a vast expanse of briers and thorns, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. 25No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.
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