Ahaz King of Judah^(A)

16 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz^(B) son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

Ahaz King of Judah^(A)

28 Ahaz^(B) was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. ² He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols^(C) for worshiping the Baals. ³ He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(D) and sacrificed his children^(E) in the fire, engaging in the detestable^(F) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

⁵ Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram.^(G) The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus.

He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. ⁶ In one day Pekah^(H) son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah^(I)—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁷ Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. ⁸ The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah^(J) two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.^(K)

⁹ But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry^(L) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.^{(M) 10} And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.^(N) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? ¹¹ Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.^(O)”

¹² Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. ¹³ “You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”

¹⁴ So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. ¹⁵ The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink,^(P) and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms,^(Q) and returned to Samaria.^(R)

¹⁷ The Edomites^(A) had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners,^{(B) 18} while the Philistines^(C) had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon^(D) and Gederoth,^(E) as well as Soko,^(F) Timnah^(G) and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. ¹⁹ The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,^[a] for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful^(H) to the Lord.

The Sign of Immanuel

7 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.

⁶ At that time, Rezin^(A) king of Aram recovered Elath^(B) for Aram by driving out the people of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day.

² Now the house of David^(A) was told, “Aram has allied itself with^[a] Ephraim^(B)”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken,^(C) as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

³ Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub,^[b](D) to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.^{(E) 4} Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm^(F) and don’t be afraid.^(G) Do not lose heart^(H) because of these two smoldering stubs^(I) of firewood—because of the fierce anger^(J) of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.^{(K) 5} Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s^(L) son have plotted^(M) 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.” ⁷ Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(N)

⁷ Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser^(A) king of Assyria, “I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save^(B) me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” ⁸ And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift^(C) to the king of Assyria.

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ “Ask the Lord your God for a sign,^(A) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.^(B)”

¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.^(C)”

¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!^(D) Is it not enough^(E) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience^(F) of my God^(G) also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign:^(H) The virgin^[b](I) will conceive and give birth to a son,^(J) and^[c] will call him Immanuel.^{[d](K) 15} He will be eating curds^(L) and honey^(M) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows^(N) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,^(O) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.^{(P) 17} 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^(Q) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(R)”

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

¹⁸ In that day^(S) the Lord will whistle^(T) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.^{(U) 19} They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(V) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(W) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(X) the Lord will use^(Y) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(Z)—the king of Assyria^(AA)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(AB) also.^{(AC) 21} In that day,^(AD) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^{(AE) 22} 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^(AF) and honey.^{(AG) 23} In that day,^(AH) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^[e](AI) there will be only briers and thorns.^{(AJ) 24} Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(AK) and thorns. ²⁵ As for all the hills^(AL) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;^(AM) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.^(AN)

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

8 The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll^(AO) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”^{[f](AP) 2} So I called in Uriah^(AQ) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses^(AR) for me. ³ Then I made love to the prophetess,^(AS) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.^(AT) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.^{(AU) 4} For before the boy knows^(AV) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus^(AW) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.^(AX)”

⁵ The Lord spoke to me again:

¹¹ This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,^(BO) warning me not to follow^(BP) the way of this people: