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And it came to pass in the yamim of Achaz ben Yotam ben Uziyahu, Melech Yehudah, that Retzin Melech Aram (Syria), and Pekach ben Remalyahu Melech Yisroel, went up toward Yerushalayim to war against her, but could not prevail over her.

And it was told the Bais Dovid, saying, Aram (Syria) is allied with Ephrayim. And his lev was shaken, and the lev of his people, like the trees of the forest are shaken with the wind.

Then said Hashem unto Yeshayah, Go forth now to meet Achaz, thou, and Shearyashuv (A Remnant Will Return) thy ben, at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the Fuller’s Field;

And say unto him, Take heed, and stay calm; fear not, neither be fainthearted because of the two stubs of these smoking firebrands, because of the fierce anger of Retzin and Aram (Syria), and of the ben Remalyahu;

Or because Aram (Syria), Ephrayim, and ben Remalyahu, have plotted your ruin, saying,

Let us go up against Yehudah, and trouble it, and let us divide it for ourselves, and set a melech in the midst of it, even ben Tav’el;

Thus saith Adonoi Hashem, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

For the rosh of Aram (Syria) is Damascus, and the rosh of Damascus is Retzin; and within threescore and five shanah shall Ephrayim be broken, that it be not a people.

And the rosh of Ephrayim is Shomron, and the rosh of Shomron is ben Remalyahu. If ye will not stand in emunah, then you shall not stand at all.

10 Moreover, Hashem spoke again unto Achaz, saying,

11 Ask thee an ot (sign) of Hashem Eloheicha; ask it either in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.

12 But Achaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt Hashem.

13 And he (Yeshayah) said, Hear ye now, O Bais Dovid; Is it a small thing for you to weary anashim, but will ye weary my G-d also?

14 Therefore Hashem Himself shall give you an ot (sign); Hinei, HaAlmah (the unmarried young virgin) shall conceive, and bear Ben, and shall call Shmo Immanu El (G-d is with us) [See extensive commentary in The Translator To The Reader, page vii].

15 Curds and honey shall he eat at the time that he knows to refuse the rah, and choose the tov.

16 For before the na’ar (boy) shall understand to refuse the rah, and choose the tov, the adamah (land) will be desolate, of whose two melachim thou art afraid.

17 Hashem shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon the Bais of thy father, yamim such as have not come since the yom when Ephrayim departed from Yehudah [2Kgs 15:29; 16:9]: even Melech Ashur (Assyria).

18 And it shall come to pass in that yom, that Hashem shall whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the Nile of Mitzrayim, and for the bee that is in Eretz Ashur.

19 And they shall come, and shall settle all of them on the steep ravines, and in the crevices of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all water holes.

20 In the same yom shall Adonoi shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the River, by Melech Ashur, the head, and the hair of the legs; and it shall also consume the beard.

21 And it shall come to pass in that yom, that a man shall keep alive a young cow, and two sheep;

22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of cholov that they shall give, he shall eat cream; for thickened milk and devash shall every one eat that is left in the land.

23 And it shall come to pass in that yom, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand gefen worth a thousand kesef, it shall even be for briers and thorns.

24 With arrows and with bows shall men come there; because kol ha’aretz shall become briers and thorns.

25 And on all hills that were hoed with a hoe, thou shall not come there for fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for pasturing of cattle, and for the treading place of seh.

The Sign of Immanuel

When Ahaz(A) son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin(B) of Aram(C) and Pekah(D) son of Remaliah(E) king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

Now the house of David(F) was told, “Aram has allied itself with[a] Ephraim(G)”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken,(H) as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub,[b](I) to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.(J) Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm(K) and don’t be afraid.(L) Do not lose heart(M) because of these two smoldering stubs(N) of firewood—because of the fierce anger(O) of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.(P) Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s(Q) son have plotted(R) your ruin, saying, “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:(S)

“‘It will not take place,
    it will not happen,(T)
for the head of Aram is Damascus,(U)
    and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.(V)
Within sixty-five years
    Ephraim will be too shattered(W) to be a people.
The head of Ephraim is Samaria,(X)
    and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand(Y) firm in your faith,(Z)
    you will not stand at all.’”(AA)

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign,(AB) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.(AC)

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.(AD)

13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!(AE) Is it not enough(AF) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience(AG) of my God(AH) also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[c] a sign:(AI) The virgin[d](AJ) will conceive and give birth to a son,(AK) and[e] will call him Immanuel.[f](AL) 15 He will be eating curds(AM) and honey(AN) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows(AO) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,(AP) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.(AQ) 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away(AR) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.(AS)

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

18 In that day(AT) the Lord will whistle(AU) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.(AV) 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices(AW) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes(AX) and at all the water holes. 20 In that day(AY) the Lord will use(AZ) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River(BA)—the king of Assyria(BB)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard(BC) also.(BD) 21 In that day,(BE) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.(BF) 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds(BG) and honey.(BH) 23 In that day,(BI) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,[g](BJ) there will be only briers and thorns.(BK) 24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers(BL) and thorns. 25 As for all the hills(BM) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;(BN) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.(BO)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 7:2 Or has set up camp in
  2. Isaiah 7:3 Shear-Jashub means a remnant will return.
  3. Isaiah 7:14 The Hebrew is plural.
  4. Isaiah 7:14 Or young woman
  5. Isaiah 7:14 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls son, and he or son, and they
  6. Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel means God with us.
  7. Isaiah 7:23 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms