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Isaiah chapter 7

English Standard Version

1In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. 2When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
3And the Lord said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer 's Field. 4And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. 5Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6"Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," 7thus says the Lord God: "‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.
8For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. 9And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’" 10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11"Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test." 13And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father 's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah — the king of Assyria!"
18In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures.
20In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River — with the king of Assyria — the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.
21In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, 22and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.
23In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns. 24With bow and arrows a man will come there, for all the land will be briers and thorns. 25And as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not come there for fear of briers and thorns, but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.
New International Version

1When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.
2Now the house of David was told, "Aram has allied itself with Ephraim"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, "Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. 4Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6"Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it."
7Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: " ‘It will not take place, it will not happen, 8for the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. 9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ "
10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11"Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."
12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test."
13Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria."
18In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. 20In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your heads and private parts, and to cut off your beards also. 21In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. 24Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.
New American Standard Bible

1Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it. 2When it was reported to the house of David, saying, 'The Arameans have taken a stand by Ephraim,' his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake from the wind.
3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, 'Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the road to the fuller’s field, 4and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stumps of smoldering logs, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. 5Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6Let’s go up against Judah and terrorize it, and take it for ourselves by assault and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,' 7this is what the Lord God says: 'It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces, so that it is no longer a people), 9and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you certainly shall not last.'?’?'
10Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11Ask for a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.' 12But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!' 13Then he said, 'Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel. 15He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
17The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah— the days of the king of Assyria.'
18On that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the canals of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19They will all come and settle on the steep ravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes, and on all the watering places.
20On that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates River ( that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard.
21Now on that day a person may keep alive only a heifer and a pair of sheep; 22and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone who is left within the land will eat curds and honey.
23And it will come about on that day, that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become briars and thorns. 24People will come there with bows and arrows, because all the land will be briars and thorns. 25As for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the plow, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.
Christian Standard Bible

1This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah: Aram’s King Rezin and Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah went to fight against Jerusalem, but they were not able to conquer it.
2When it became known to the house of David that Aram had occupied Ephraim, the heart of Ahaz and the hearts of his people trembled like trees of a forest shaking in the wind.
3The Lord said to Isaiah, "Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, by the road to the Launderer’s Field. 4Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah. 5For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say, 6‘Let us go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.’"
7This is what the Lord God says: It will not happen; it will not occur. 8The chief city of Aram is Damascus, the chief of Damascus is Rezin (within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people), 9the chief city of Ephraim is Samaria, and the chief of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.
10Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz: 11"Ask for a sign from the Lord your God—it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven."
12But Ahaz replied, "I will not ask. I will not test the Lord."
13Isaiah said, "Listen, house of David! Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men? Will you also try the patience of my God? 14Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel. 15By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good, he will be eating curds and honey. 16For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned. 17The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s house such a time as has never been since Ephraim separated from Judah: He will bring the king of Assyria."
18On that day the Lord will whistle to flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to bees in the land of Assyria. 19All of them will come and settle in the steep ravines, in the clefts of the rocks, in all the thornbushes, and in all the water holes.
20On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria —to shave the hair on your heads, the hair on your legs, and even your beards.
21On that day a man will raise a young cow and two sheep,
22and from the abundant milk they give he will eat curds, for every survivor in the land will eat curds and honey. 23And on that day every place where there were a thousand vines, worth a thousand pieces of silver, will become thorns and briers. 24A man will go there with bow and arrows because the whole land will be thorns and briers. 25You will not go to all the hills that were once tilled with a hoe, for fear of the thorns and briers. Those hills will be places for oxen to graze and for sheep to trample.
New Living Translation

1When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria 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 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 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. 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.'
10Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11Ask 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. '
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 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 and honey. 16For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.
17Then 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 — the king of Assyria — and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.
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, 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.
King James Version

1And 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. 10Moreover 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. 17The 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.
New King James Version

1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2And it was told to the house of David, saying, “Syria’s forces are deployed in Ephraim.” So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.
3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field, 4and say to him: ‘Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah. 5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying, 6“Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel”—
7thus says the Lord God: “It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, And the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken, So that it will not be a people. 9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, And the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established.” ’ ”
10Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11“Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”
12But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
13Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15Curds and honey He shall 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 you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. 17The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”
18And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will whistle for the fly That is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, And for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19They will come, and all of them will rest In the desolate valleys and in the clefts of the rocks, And on all thorns and in all pastures. 20In the same day the Lord will shave with a hired razor, With those from beyond the River, with the king of Assyria, The head and the hair of the legs, And will also remove the beard. 21It shall be in that day That a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep; 22So it shall be, from the abundance of milk they give, That he will eat curds; For curds and honey everyone will eat who is left in the land. 23It shall happen in that day, That wherever there could be a thousand vines Worth a thousand shekels of silver, It will be for briers and thorns. 24With arrows and bows men will come there, Because all the land will become briers and thorns. 25And to any hill which could be dug with the hoe, You will not go there for fear of briers and thorns; But it will become a range for oxen And a place for sheep to roam.

What does Isaiah chapter 7 mean?

Isaiah 7 moves from Isaiah's poetry about God's coming judgment to focus on Israel's history. It takes place during the reign of King Ahaz over Judah. Ahaz was the son of Jotham, who was son of King Uzziah (Isaiah 7:1).

Specifically, Isaiah 7 is set during the time when the kings of Israel and Syria join forces to try to remove Ahaz from the throne of Judah. Israel was the name for the nation comprised of the northern ten tribes of Israel. Judah was the name for the nation with the other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. Pekah was king of Israel at this time, and Rezin was king of Syria, also known as Aram (Isaiah 7:1).

Ahaz and the citizens of Jerusalem are terrified when they learn that Syria and Ephraim, another name for Israel, were coming to destroy Judah together. These two kings knew Assyria was coming to attack them from the east and that Ahaz was loyal to the king of Assyria. They hoped to defeat Ahaz before Assyria attacked so they didn't have to fight both nations at once (Isaiah 7:2).

In this moment, when Ahaz and Jerusalem are weak with fear, the Lord tells Isaiah to go find King Ahaz at a specific place near the aqueduct that brings water into the city. Ahaz may have been attempting to secure Jerusalem's water source ahead of a possible siege (Isaiah 7:3).

Speaking from the Lord, Isaiah tells Ahaz to be careful, to calm down, and to stop being afraid. He tells the king to not lose courage because of the kings coming to attack and attempt to put another man on the throne. Why? Isaiah puts the prophecy to poetry saying that the thing Ahaz is worried about will not happen. In fact, Israel will cease to be a nation within 65 years (Isaiah 7:4–8).

In short, the Lord tells Ahaz to stop being afraid and to be firm in his faith. The Lord even tells Ahaz to ask Him for a miraculous sign as evidence that what He has said is true. Ahaz refuses, though, saying he will not test the Lord (Isaiah 7:9–12).

Ahaz's response sounds good at first. But Isaiah knows it is because the king does not trust the Lord. Isaiah asks why Ahaz must weary God. Then Isaiah gives Ahaz a sign, anyway. The prophet tells Ahaz that a virgin will conceive and bear a son, whom she will call Immanuel. In the modern context, we know this prophecy is about Jesus, because Matthew confirms it (Matthew 1:20–22). However, many scholars say this is a prophecy with a double fulfillment, one that happened in Isaiah's time, as well at the arrival of Jesus on earth (Isaiah 7:13–14).

Isaiah uses the birth of this child to communicate to Ahaz how quickly the Lord will bring about the destruction of Judah's enemies. Before this boy knows how to discern good from evil, the lands of Israel and Syria will be deserted. In other words, in the time it takes for a young woman to go from being unmarried to having a three-year-old, or perhaps a thirteen-year-old, the king of Assyria will have wiped out the two kings Ahaz is worried about. That's the good news. The bad news is that the Assyrians will also bring great destruction on Judah (Isaiah 7:15–17).

When that day comes, the prophet tells Ahaz, the Lord will summon Egypt and Assyria to rain down destruction on Judah. Those enemy armies will cover the land like migrating swarms of insects covering everything in their path (Isaiah 7:18–19).

Also when these days come to pass, the Lord will use the king of Assyria like a razor to shave Judah hairless, to further the complete humiliation of the people of Judah (Isaiah 7:20). The few who are left alive in Judah will have so much milk from so few animals that they will have to use some of it to make curds just to keep it from going bad (Isaiah 7:20–22).

Finally, when that day comes, Judah's grape industry will grind to a halt due to lack of workers to tend the vineyards. The vines will become overgrown with briers and thorns. Those left behind will turn to hunting and herding instead of growing (Isaiah 7:23–25).
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