Isaiah 7

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 7

1¶ And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, [that] Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

3Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

4And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

6Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, [even] the son of Tabeal:

7Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

8For the head of Syria [is] Damascus, and the head of Damascus [is] Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

9And the head of Ephraim [is] Samaria, and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

10¶ Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,

11Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

13And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; [Is it] a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

16For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

17¶ The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; [even] the king of Assyria.

18And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall hiss for the fly that [is] in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that [is] in the land of Assyria.

19And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.

20In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, [namely], by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

21And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;

22And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk [that] they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.

23And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns.

24With arrows and with bows shall [men] come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.

25And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Ahaz of Judah was greatly distressed by the Syro-Ephraimite confederacy's invasion, causing widespread fear. The prophet Isaiah was sent by the Lord to reassure Ahaz, urging him not to fear the two kings, for their plan would fail. When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, the Lord declared that a virgin would conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, signifying that the immediate threat would pass. However, this comfort was juxtaposed with a warning of future desolation brought by the king of Assyria.

Medium Summary

In the days of King Ahaz, Judah faced an invasion from the confederate forces of Syria and Israel, causing great fear among the people. The Lord commanded Isaiah to meet Ahaz and deliver a message of reassurance, instructing him not to fear these "smoking firebrands" as their counsel against Judah would not stand. Isaiah prophesied that within a short time, the lands of Syria and Ephraim would be desolate. When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign to confirm these words, claiming he would not tempt the Lord, Isaiah rebuked the house of David. Consequently, the Lord Himself promised a sign: a virgin would conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, and before this child could discern good from evil, the two threatening kings would be removed. Yet, this promise of immediate deliverance was followed by a solemn warning that the Lord would bring the king of Assyria upon Judah, leading to widespread desolation and hardship.

Long Summary

During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, a formidable alliance between King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel (Ephraim) launched an attack against Jerusalem, though they were unable to conquer it. The news of this confederacy deeply shook Ahaz and his people, whose hearts trembled like trees in a storm. The Lord then instructed the prophet Isaiah, accompanied by his son Shearjashub, to confront Ahaz and deliver a message of divine reassurance. Isaiah was to tell the king not to fear these two hostile rulers, likening them to mere "smoking firebrands" whose destructive counsel against Judah, aiming to install a new king, would ultimately fail. The Lord declared that the heads of Syria and Ephraim would remain Damascus and Samaria respectively, and that Ephraim itself would be broken within sixty-five years. Isaiah emphasized that if Ahaz and his people would not believe, they would not be established. Subsequently, the Lord offered Ahaz the opportunity to ask for a sign, either from the depths or the heights, to confirm these prophecies. However, Ahaz, perhaps out of feigned piety or genuine unbelief, refused, stating he would not tempt the Lord. Isaiah then rebuked the house of David for wearying both men and God. Therefore, the Lord Himself promised a sign: a virgin would conceive and bear a son, whose name would be Immanuel, meaning "God with us." This child would eat butter and honey, and before he reached an age of discernment, the lands of the two kings Ahaz abhorred would be forsaken. Despite this immediate comfort, the chapter concludes with a dire warning of future judgment. The Lord would bring the king of Assyria upon Judah, a force likened to a "hired razor" that would shave the land, symbolizing utter devastation. The land would become desolate, overgrown with briers and thorns, and the people would face severe hardship, with only meager livestock surviving amidst the widespread ruin.

Core Concepts

  • Syro-Ephraimite ConfederacyThe alliance of Syria (Rezin) and Israel (Pekah, Ephraim) against Judah, which caused great fear in King Ahaz and his people. Their plan to conquer Jerusalem and install a new king was prophesied by Isaiah to fail.
  • Ahaz's Fear and UnbeliefKing Ahaz's heart and the hearts of his people were greatly moved by the invasion, yet he refused to ask for a sign from the Lord, demonstrating a lack of faith despite divine reassurance.
  • Divine ReassuranceThe Lord, through Isaiah, commanded Ahaz not to fear the invading kings, assuring him that their counsel against Judah would not stand and their power would soon diminish. This message aimed to calm the king's anxieties.
  • Sign of ImmanuelWhen Ahaz refused a sign, the Lord Himself promised that a virgin would conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, a sign of God's presence and a promise that the immediate threat would pass before the child's discernment.
  • Assyrian JudgmentDespite the promise of deliverance from the Syro-Ephraimite threat, the chapter warns of a future, greater judgment from the king of Assyria, who would come to devastate Judah like a hired razor.
  • Desolation of the LandThe prophecy vividly describes the future state of Judah under Assyrian invasion, where fertile lands would become briers and thorns, and the remaining inhabitants would face scarcity and hardship.