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.

² Now the house of David^(F) was told, “Aram has allied itself with^[a] Ephraim^(G)”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken,^(H) 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](I) to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.^{(J) 4} Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm^(K) and don’t be afraid.^(L) Do not lose heart^(M) because of these two smoldering stubs^(N) of firewood—because of the fierce anger^(O) of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.^{(P) 5} Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s^(Q) son have plotted^(R) 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:^(S)

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

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

¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!^(AE) Is it not enough^(AF) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience^(AG) of my God^(AH) also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[c] a sign:^(AI) The virgin^[d](AJ) will conceive and give birth to a son,^(AK) and^[e] will call him Immanuel.^{[f](AL) 15} He will be eating curds^(AM) and honey^(AN) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows^(AO) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,^(AP) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.^{(AQ) 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^(AR) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(AS)”

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

¹⁸ In that day^(AT) the Lord will whistle^(AU) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.^{(AV) 19} They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(AW) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(AX) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(AY) the Lord will use^(AZ) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(BA)—the king of Assyria^(BB)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(BC) also.^{(BD) 21} In that day,^(BE) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^{(BF) 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^(BG) and honey.^{(BH) 23} In that day,^(BI) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^[g](BJ) there will be only briers and thorns.^{(BK) 24} Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(BL) and thorns. ²⁵ As for all the hills^(BM) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;^(BN) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.^(BO)

Isaiah and His Children as Signs

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

⁵ The Lord spoke to me again:

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

¹⁸ Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(AT) We are signs^(AU) and symbols^(AV) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(AW)

The Darkness Turns to Light

¹⁹ When someone tells you to consult^(AX) mediums and spiritists,^(AY) who whisper and mutter,^(AZ) should not a people inquire^(BA) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰ Consult God’s instruction^(BB) and the testimony of warning.^(BC) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(BD) of dawn. ²¹ Distressed and hungry,^(BE) they will roam through the land;^(BF) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(BG) their king and their God. ²² Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(BH) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(BI)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(C) the pioneer^(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(E) scorning its shame,^(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^{(G) 3} Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(H) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^{(I) 5} And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(M) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(N)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(O) and live!^{(P) 10} They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^{(Q) 11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(R) for those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^{(S) 13} “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b](T) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(U)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(V) and to be holy;^(W) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^{(X) 15} See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(Y) and that no bitter root^(Z) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶ See that no one is sexually immoral,^(AA) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^{(AB) 17} Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(AC) he could not change what he had done.

The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;^{(AD) 19} to a trumpet blast^(AE) or to such a voice speaking words^(AF) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,^{(AG) 20} because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[c](AH) 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[d](AI)

²² But you have come to Mount Zion,^(AJ) to the city^(AK) of the living God,^(AL) the heavenly Jerusalem.^(AM) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn,^(AN) whose names are written in heaven.^(AO) You have come to God, the Judge of all,^(AP) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,^{(AQ) 24} to Jesus the mediator^(AR) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(AS) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(AT)

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse^(AU) him who speaks.^(AV) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned^(AW) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?^{(AX) 26} At that time his voice shook the earth,^(AY) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”^{[e](AZ) 27} The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken^(BA)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,^(BB) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,^{(BC) 29} for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[f](BD)