Isaiah Chapter 7

A Message for Ahaz

¹ At the time of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, attacked Jerusalem but couldn’t take it. ² When the news reached Judah’s royal court that Syria was in league with Ephraim, their hearts sank, and they shook like trees in the wind.

³ The LORD said to Isaiah,

“Take your son Shear-jashub [A remnant will return] and go meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that supplies the Upper Pool on the road to the Fuller’s Field. ^4-6 Tell him not to worry about Rezin and Remaliah’s son. He doesn’t need to be afraid or fainthearted over the fierce anger of those two smoldering sticks. True, they’re plotting to attack Judah and install Tabeel as king there. ^7-9But that’s not going to happen. Syria’s headquarters is in Damascus, led by Rezin; Ephraim’s headquarters is in Samaria, led by Remaliah. Just trust me, and I’ll make you outlast them. In 65 years, Ephraim will be shattered, no longer a people.”                                             

Is 7:1-9

¹⁰ The LORD spoke to Ahaz again, ¹¹ “Ask me for a sign that’s as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.”

¹² But Ahaz said, “I’m not going to do that.”

¹³ So Isaiah said,

“Listen, David’s dynasty! Is trying people’s patience not enough that you try God’s patience too? ¹⁴ So the LORD will give you^pl his own sign: a virgin will have a son she’ll call Immanuel [God is with us]. ¹⁵ Before he’s old enough to eat curds and honey, refuse evil and choose good, ¹⁶ the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your ancestor’s dynasty such a time as has never come since Ephraim seceded from Judah: the king of Assyria. ¹⁸ The LORD will whistle for a fly at the mouth of the rivers of Egypt and for a bee in Assyria. ¹⁹ They’ll come and light in the steep ravines, in the cracks in the rocks, on the thorns, and in the pastures. ²⁰ The LORD will shave Israel’s head, legs, and beard with a “razor” he’ll hire from beyond the Euphrates: the king of Assyria.                                        

Is 7:10-20

²¹ “At that time, a farmer may still have a cow and a couple sheep. ²² Nevertheless, they’ll give enough for him and the few left in the land to eat curds and honey. ²³ Briars and thorns will take over a vineyard that used to have 1,000 vines, worth 25 lbs ^{1,000 shekels} of silver. ²⁴ People will go there to hunt with bows and arrows because briars and thorns will overrun the country. ²⁵ People won’t go to the hills where they used to hoe garden plots, because they’ll want to avoid the briars and thorns. That’s where cattle will pasture, and sheep will trample.”

Is 7:21-25