給亞哈斯王的信息

烏西雅的孫子、約坦的兒子亞哈斯做猶大王時,亞蘭王利迅和利瑪利的兒子以色列王比加來攻打耶路撒冷,卻無法攻破。 亞蘭和以色列結盟的消息傳到猶大王那裡,舉國上下都嚇得膽戰心驚,好像林中被風吹動的樹木。 耶和華對以賽亞說:「你帶著兒子施亞雅述出去,到上池水溝的盡頭——通往漂布場的路上迎見亞哈斯, 告訴他要謹慎鎮定,不要害怕,不要因亞蘭王利迅和利瑪利的兒子的怒氣而膽怯,他們不過是兩個冒煙的火把頭。 亞蘭王和以法蓮及利瑪利的兒子陰謀毀滅他, 企圖攻打並瓜分猶大,改立他比勒的兒子為王。 但主耶和華說,

『這陰謀必無法得逞。
亞蘭的都城是大馬士革,
大馬士革的首領是利迅。
六十五年之內,
以色列必亡國。
以色列的都城是撒瑪利亞,
撒瑪利亞的首領是利瑪利的兒子。
你們信心若不堅定,
必無法堅立。』」

10 耶和華又對亞哈斯說: 11 「向你的上帝耶和華求個徵兆吧,或顯在天上,或顯在陰間。」 12 但亞哈斯說:「我不求,我不要試探耶和華。」 13 以賽亞說:「大衛的子孫啊,你們聽著!你們使人厭煩還不夠嗎?還要使我的上帝厭煩嗎? 14 所以,主會親自給你們一個徵兆,必有童貞女[a]懷孕生子並給祂取名叫以馬內利[b] 15 他將吃乳酪和蜂蜜,一直到他能明辨是非。 16 然而,在他能明辨是非之前,你所懼怕的這二王的國土必荒廢。

17 「之後,耶和華必讓亞述王來攻擊你們。這是你全家及你的人民自以色列與猶大分裂以來從未有的日子。 18 那時,耶和華的哨聲一響,埃及的大軍必像蒼蠅一樣從遙遠的尼羅河飛撲而來,亞述的人馬必如黃蜂一樣蜂擁而至, 19 遍佈險峻的山谷、岩穴、一切荊棘叢和草場。 20 那時,主必使用幼發拉底河對岸的亞述王來毀滅你們,就像用租來的剃刀剃光你們的頭髮、鬍鬚和身上的汗毛。

21 「那時,一個人將養活一頭母牛和兩隻羊。 22 因出產的奶豐富,他就有乳酪吃,境內剩下的人都將吃乳酪和蜂蜜。 23 那時,本來有千株葡萄、價值千金的園子必長滿荊棘和蒺藜, 24 人們必帶著弓箭去打獵,因為遍地長滿了荊棘和蒺藜。 25 你因懼怕荊棘和蒺藜,將不再去從前用鋤頭開墾的山地,那裡將成為牧放牛羊的地方。」

Footnotes

  1. 7·14 童貞女」或譯「女子」。
  2. 7·14 以馬內利」意思是「上帝與我們同在」。

二王一同攻打耶路撒冷

乌西雅的孙子、约坦的儿子犹大王亚哈斯在位的日子,亚兰王利汛和利玛利的儿子以色列王比加,上来攻打耶路撒冷,却不能把它攻陷。 有人告诉大卫家说:“亚兰已经在以法莲地安营。”王的心和人民的心就都震动,像林中的树被风摇动一样。

先知安慰亚哈斯

耶和华对以赛亚说:“你和你的儿子施亚雅述出去,在上池的水沟尽头,就是在漂布者田间的大路上,去迎接亚哈斯, 对他说:‘你要谨慎,要镇定,不要因亚兰王利汛和利玛利的儿子这两个冒烟的火把头所发的怒气而害怕,也不要心里胆怯。 因为亚兰、以法莲和利玛利的儿子,设恶谋要害你,说: “我们可以上去攻打犹大,扰乱她,把她攻占过来,归我们所有,又在其中立他比勒的儿子作王。” 因此,主耶和华这样说:

“这计谋必立不住,

也不能成就,

因为亚兰的首都是大马士革,

大马士革的首领是利汛;

六十五年之内,

以法莲必定毁灭,不再成为一族之民。

以法莲的首都是撒玛利亚,

撒玛利亚的首领是利玛利的儿子;

你们若不相信,就必定不得坚立。”’”

以马内利的兆头

10 耶和华又告诉亚哈斯说: 11 “你向耶和华你的 神求一个兆头,或求显在深处,或求显在高处。” 12 但亚哈斯说:“我不求,我不试探耶和华。” 13 以赛亚说:“大卫家啊,你们要听!你们使人厌烦还算小事,还要使我的 神厌烦吗? 14 因此主自己必给你们一个兆头:看哪!必有童女怀孕生子;她要给他起名叫‘以马内利’。 15 到他晓得弃恶择善的时候,他必吃乳酪和蜂蜜。 16 因为在这孩子晓得弃恶择善之先,你所畏惧的那两个王之地,早就被弃绝了。

预言敌人将要入侵

17 “耶和华必使灾难的日子临到你和你的人民,以及你的父家,自从以法莲脱离犹大以来,未曾有过这样的日子,就是亚述王的入侵。” 18 到那时,耶和华必发出哨声,把埃及河流尽头的苍蝇和亚述地的蜂子召来。 19 牠们都必飞来,落在陡峭的山谷中、岩石的穴里、一切荆棘丛中和所有的草场上。

20 到那日,主必用大河那边租来的剃刀,就是亚述王,剃去你们的头发和脚上的毛,并且剃净你们的胡须。

21 到那时,一个人只能养活一头母牛犊和两只母绵羊。 22 因为出的奶多,他就可以吃乳酪;境内剩下的人,都要吃乳酪和蜂蜜。 23 到那日,从前种一千棵葡萄树,价值一万一千四百克银子的地方,现在却成为荆棘和蒺藜生长之处。 24 人到那里去,必须携带弓和箭,因为遍地都是荆棘和蒺藜。 25 以前所有用锄头挖掘的山地,你因为惧怕荆棘和蒺藜,都不敢上那里去;那里就成了放牛之地,羊群践踏之处。

The Message to Ahaz

This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah:(A) Aram’s King Rezin and Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah went to fight against Jerusalem,(B) but they were not able to conquer it.

When it became known to the house of David(C) that Aram had occupied Ephraim,(D) the heart of Ahaz[a] and the hearts of his people trembled like trees of a forest shaking in the wind.

The Lord said to Isaiah, ‘Go out with your son Shear-jashub[b](E) to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool,(F) by the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly(G) because of these two smouldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah. For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say, “Let’s go up against Judah, terrorise it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.” ’

This is what the Lord God says:

It will not happen; it will not occur.(H)
The 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),
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.

The Immanuel Prophecy

10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz: 11 ‘Ask for a sign(I) from the Lord your God – it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.’

12 But Ahaz replied, ‘I will not ask. I will not test the Lord.’

13 Isaiah(J) 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?(K) 14 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you[c] a sign: See, the virgin will conceive,[d] have a son, and name him Immanuel.[e](L) 15 By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good,(M) he will be eating curds[f] and honey.(N) 16 For 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. 17 The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s house such a time as has never been since Ephraim separated from Judah:(O) He will bring the king of Assyria.’(P)

18 On that day(Q)
the Lord will whistle(R) to flies
at the farthest streams of the Nile
and to bees in the land of Assyria.
19 All of them will come and settle
in the steep ravines, in the clefts of the rocks,(S)
in all the thorn bushes, and in all the water holes.

20 On that day the Lord will use a razor(T) hired from beyond the River Euphrates – the king of Assyria(U) – to shave the hair on your heads, the hair on your legs, and even your beards.

21 On that day
a man will raise a young cow and two sheep,
22 and from the abundant milk they give
he will eat curds,
for every survivor in the land will eat curds and honey.(V)

23 And on that day
every place where there were a thousand vines,
worth a thousand pieces of silver,
will become thorns and briars.(W)
24 A man will go there with bow and arrows
because the whole land will be thorns and briars.
25 You will not go to all the hills
that were once tilled with a hoe,
for fear of the thorns and briars.
Those hills will be places for oxen to graze
and for sheep to trample.

Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Lit Aram has rested upon Ephraim, his heart
  2. 7:3 = A Remnant Will Return
  3. 7:14 In Hb, the word you is pl
  4. 7:14 Or virgin is pregnant, will
  5. 7:14 = God With Us
  6. 7:15 Or sour milk