Study Desk

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)

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz,

"Ask the Lord your God for a sign,^(ab) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.^(ac)"

But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.^(ad)"

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?

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)

He will be eating curds^(am) and honey^(an) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,

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)

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)"

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)

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.

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)

In that day,^(be) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^(bf)

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)

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)

Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(bl) and thorns.

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)

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

The Lord said to me, "Take a large scroll^(a) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz."^[a](b)

So I called in Uriah^(c) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses^(d) for me.

Then I made love to the prophetess,^(e) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.^(f) And the Lord said to me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.^(g)

For before the boy knows^(h) how to say ‘My father' or ‘My mother,' the wealth of Damascus⁽ⁱ⁾ and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.^(j)"

The Lord spoke to me again:

"Because this people has rejected^(k) the gently flowing waters of Shiloah^(l) and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah,^(m)

therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters⁽ⁿ⁾ of the Euphrates— the king of Assyria^(o) with all his pomp.^(p) It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks^(q)

and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,^(r) passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings^(s) will cover the breadth of your land, Immanuel^[b]!"^(t)

Raise the war cry,^[c](u) you nations, and be shattered!^(v) Listen, all you distant lands. Prepare^(w) for battle, and be shattered! Prepare for battle, and be shattered!

Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;^(x) propose your plan, but it will not stand,^(y) for God is with us.^[d](z)

This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,^(aa) warning me not to follow^(ab) the way of this people:

"Do not call conspiracy^(ac) everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear,^(ad) and do not dread it.^(ae)

The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,^(af) he is the one you are to fear,^(ag) he is the one you are to dread.^(ah)

He will be a holy place;^(ai) for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone^(aj) that causes people to stumble^(ak) and a rock that makes them fall.^(al) And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.^(am)

Many of them will stumble;^(an) they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured."

Bind up this testimony of warning^(ao) and seal^(ap) up God's instruction among my disciples.

I will wait^(aq) for the Lord , who is hiding^(ar) his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.^(as)

Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(at) We are signs^(au) and symbols^(av) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(aw)

When someone tells you to consult^(ax) mediums and spiritists,^(ay) who whisper and mutter,^(az) should not a people inquire^(ba) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Consult God's instruction^(bb) and the testimony of warning.^(bc) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(bd) of dawn.

Distressed and hungry,^(be) they will roam through the land;^(bf) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(bg) their king and their God.

Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(bh) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(bi)