Isaiah 7

1 Now in the days [of historical significance, a period of time] that Ahaz [a king of Judah] son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah [a king of Judah, whose name means my strength is Jehovah], was king [a ruler, a monarch] of Judah, Rezin [a king of Aram, meaning firm] king of Aram [a region, also known as Syria] marched up [to ascend, to go up] to wage war [to battle, to fight] against Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]. He was accompanied [joined, came up with] by Pekah [a king of Israel, whose name means open-eyed] son of Remaliah [an Israelite, whose name means protected by Jehovah] the king of Israel, but he could not [was not able, lacked the power] overpower [to conquer, to defeat] the city [Jerusalem, the city of peace]. word study 2 When it was reported [declared, told] to the house [dwelling place, family] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] that Aram [also known as Syria] was in league [confederate, allied] with Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel], the hearts [innermost part, mind, will, and emotions] of Ahaz and his people [nation, tribe] trembled [shook, moved] like trees [strong and firm objects] in the forest [copse of bushes, woodland] shaken [moved back and forth] by the wind [a blast of air]. word study 3 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Isaiah [Jeshaiah, meaning Jehovah has saved], “Go out [come forth, depart] with your son [descendant, a male child] Shear-jashub [a remnant shall return] to meet [encounter, befall] Ahaz [a king of Judah] at the end [border, edge] of the aqueduct [conduit, water channel] that feeds [supplies, nourishes] the upper [high, elevated] pool [reservoir, a collection of water], on the road [highway, public way] to the Launderer’s [fuller’s, one who washes or cleans] Field [a flat area of land, a place of cultivation], word study 4 and say to him: Calm down [be quiet, take heed] and be quiet [still, at peace]. Do not be afraid [fear not, do not be dismayed] or disheartened [fainthearted, tender] over these two [a pair, a duo] smoldering stubs of firewood [smoking firebrands, burning embers]—over the fierce [burning, intense] anger [wrath] of Rezin [firm, a king of Damascus] and Aram [Syria, a region] and of the son [descendant, offspring] of Remaliah [protected by Jehovah]. word study 5 For Aram [Syria, the region], along with Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel] and the son [descendant] of Remaliah [protected by Jehovah], has plotted [taken evil counsel, purposed evil] your ruin [destruction, adversity], saying [to speak, command]: word study 6 ‘Let us invade [go up against, attack] Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob], terrorize [vex, trouble] it, and divide [break, rend] it among ourselves [to us, for us]. Then we can install [set, make] the son [descendant, offspring] of Tabeal over it as king [ruler, monarch, having authority].’ word study 7 But this is what the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah] says: ‘It will not [in no way, never] arise [stand up, come to power]; it will not [under no circumstances] happen [come to pass, be fulfilled]. word study 8 For the head [chief, ruler] of Aram [Syria, a region] is Damascus, and the head [leader, prince] of Damascus is Rezin [a king, firm]. Within sixty-five [threescore and five] years Ephraim [a tribe, doubly fruitful] will be shattered [broken, crushed] as a people [nation, community]. word study 9 The head [chief, prince] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph’s son and the tribe] is Samaria [watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine], and the head [chief, prince] of Samaria is the son [descendant, offspring] of Remaliah [protected by Jehovah]. If you do not stand firm [be faithful, trust] in your faith [trust, confidence], then you will not stand [be established, remain] at all [completely, utterly].’” word study 10 Again [Moreover, Later] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [to communicate, to command] to Ahaz [the king of Judah], saying [to command, to promise], word study 11 “Ask [request, inquire of] for a sign [miraculous wonder, beacon] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme deity], whether from the depths [the deep places, the profound] of Sheol [the underworld, the grave] or the heights [the lofty, exalted places] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm].” word study 12 But Ahaz replied [said in response], “I will not ask [refuse to inquire, nor make a request]; I will not test [tempt, try, or prove] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God].” word study 13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now [listen carefully, give ear], O house [family, descendants] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel]! Is it not enough [a small thing, a little] to try the patience [weary, grieve] of men [human beings, individuals]? Will you try the patience [weary, disgust] of my God [Elohim, the supreme God] as well [also, too]? word study 14 Therefore the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] Himself will give [bestow, provide] you a sign [miraculous token, wonder]: Behold [look, see], the virgin [young, unmarried woman, maiden] will be with child [conceive, become pregnant] and will give birth [bear, bring forth] to a son [male child, descendant], and will call Him [assign His name, designate] Immanuel [God with us, Emmanuel]. word study 15 By the time He knows [is aware, has understanding] enough to reject [spurn, refuse] evil [bad, wickedness] and choose [select, prefer] good [what is pleasant, beneficial], He will be eating [consuming, devouring] curds [butter, yogurt] and honey [a sweet, valuable food]. word study 16 For before [prior to, at an earlier time] the boy [youth, young person] knows [is aware of, has knowledge of] enough to reject [spurn, refuse] evil [bad, morally wrong] and choose [select, prefer] good [pleasant, beneficial], the land [earth, ground] of the two [a pair, dual] kings [rulers, monarchs] you [as an individual, personally] dread [loathe, are anxious about] will be laid [made, left] waste [forsaken, deserted, abandoned]. word study 17 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will bring on you and on your people [nation, community] and on the house [family, household] of your father [ancestral leader] a time [season, period] unlike any since the day [era, age] Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel] separated [turned aside, departed] from Judah [praise, a tribe of Israel]—He will bring the king [ruler, sovereign] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation].” word study 18 On that day [in the future, at a specific time] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will whistle [hiss, call out] to the flies [insects, a type of pest] at the farthest [most distant, uttermost] streams [rivers, watercourses] of the Nile [in Egypt, a major river] and to the bees in the land [earth, territory] of Assyria [Asshur, a nation]. word study 19 And they will all [completely, every single one] come and settle [rest, dwell] in the steep [desolate, rugged] ravines [valleys, brooks] and clefts [holes, precipices] of the rocks [crags, cliffs], in all [every, the entirety of] the thornbushes [thorny places, thorn-hedges] and watering holes [pastures, places of refreshment]. word study 20 On that day [a time of judgment, a specific point in the future] the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] will use a razor [a sharp knife] hired from beyond the Euphrates [across the river, in a distant land]—the king of Assyria [a powerful ruler, a foreign nation]—to shave your head [to humiliate, to bring low] and the hair of your legs [to expose, to leave vulnerable], and to remove your beard [to take away dignity, to shameful exposure] as well [completely, utterly]. word study 21 On that day [in the same day, at that time] a man [an individual, male person] will raise [nourish, keep alive] a young cow [heifer, female calf] and two [a pair, double] sheep [of the flock, goats], word study 22 and from the abundance [greatness, plenty] of milk they give, he will eat curds [butter, cheese]; for all [everyone, the whole] who remain [are left, survive] in the land [the earth, the territory] will eat curds [butter, cheese] and honey [a sweet and valuable food]. word study 23 And on that day [in the future, at a specific time], in every place [location, region] that had a thousand [large number, multitude] vines [a grapevine] worth a thousand [substantial value, wealth] shekels [units of silver, currency] of silver [valuable metal, treasure], only briers [thorny plants, obstacles] and thorns [sharp, troublesome growths] will be found [exist, remain]. word study 24 Men will go [with bows and arrows, for hunting] there with bow [a weapon for battle or hunting] and arrow [a sharp projectile], for the land [the earth, a country or territory] will be covered with briers [thornbushes, wild growth] and thorns [sharp stones, possibly diamonds]. word study 25 For fear [reverence, awe] of the briers [thornbushes, wild growth] and thorns [sharp stones, possibly diamonds], you will no longer traverse [walk, travel] the hills [mountains, high places] once tilled [cultivated, dug] by the hoe [mattock, farming tool]; they will become places [areas, regions] for oxen [cattle, bulls] to graze [feed, pasture] and sheep [goats] to trample [tread, walk on]. word study