Isaiah 7:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And 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.’”

NIV: The 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.''

NASB: and 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.'?’?'

CSB: the 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.

NLT: Israel 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.'

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: The 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.” ’ ”

The beginning of this verse seems to finish the prophecy revealed at the end of the previous statement (Isaiah 7:8). Within 65 years, Ephraim, the northern ten tribes of Israel, will be shattered from being a people.

This verse then follows the poetic form of Isaiah 7:8 by calling the capitol and the king of Ephraim "the head." The Lord seems to be saying to Ahaz not to be afraid because the entire nation of Ephraim will cease to exist in 65 years. Isaiah concludes this message from the Lord with a powerful message that if Ahaz is not firm in his faith, he has no foundation at all.

This raises several questions for readers and likely for Ahaz. How does the fact that Ephraim will be wiped off the map in 65 years help him with the imminent siege of Jerusalem? Doesn't he have to deal with that problem right away? The Lord does not answer that question and instead tells the king to trust Him (Isaiah 7:4).

Although it is not described in this passage, the Lord is telling Ahaz to trust him instead of trusting someone else. Ahaz already has or will soon turn to the king of Assyria, Tiglath-pileser, for help with these and other enemies of Judah (2 Chronicles 28:16). The results of this decision will be even more disastrous. The Lord is telling Ahaz to be firm and fearless in trusting Him, instead of panicking and hoping for help from Assyria.

Isaiah 7:1–9 describes the terror of Judah's King Ahaz and his people at the news that Israel and Syria have teamed up to defeat him. The Lord tells Isaiah to take his son and find Ahaz in a specific place. Isaiah reveals to Ahaz that what he fears will not happen. Syria and Israel will not conquer Jerusalem and divide up Judah and put someone else on Ahaz's throne. Instead, Israel will cease to be a people within 65 years. Ahaz must be firm in his faith in the Lord if he wishes to have any foundation.

Isaiah 7 begins with the threat of invasion from two of Judah's enemies: Israel and Syria. Judah's King Ahaz and his people are terrified. Speaking for the Lord, Isaiah tells Ahaz to not be afraid because it will not happen. Israel and Syria will soon be gone. Ahaz, though, refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign. In response, Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Syria and Israel are destroyed, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring judgment on Judah through invading armies, emptying the land until little remains.

Isaiah 7 follows the description of Isaiah's commission as a prophet in Isaiah 6. Now the Lord tells him to go and speak to Judah's king Ahaz, who is terrified about an impending invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah promises this invasion will not happen. Instead, both nations will soon be destroyed. Ahaz refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign to confirm His words. Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Israel and Syria are wiped out, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring harsh judgment against Judah in the form of relentless invading armies.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).