The Child Immanuel

10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask for a (A)sign for yourself from the Lord your God; [a]make it deep as Sheol or high as [b]heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, (B)house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to [c]try the patience of men, that you will [d](C)try the patience of (D)my God as well? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, (E)the [e]virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him [f](F)Immanuel. 15 He will eat [g](G)curds and honey [h]at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 (H)For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, (I)the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 7:11 As in most ancient versions; MT make the request deep or high
  2. Isaiah 7:11 Lit heights
  3. Isaiah 7:13 Lit make men weary
  4. Isaiah 7:13 Lit make my God weary
  5. Isaiah 7:14 As in LXX; MT young unmarried woman
  6. Isaiah 7:14 I.e., God is with us
  7. Isaiah 7:15 Possibly butter
  8. Isaiah 7:15 Lit with respect to his knowing

God with Us

10 Later on, the Lord spoke to Ahaz again: 11 “Ask a sign from the Lord your God. Make it as deep as Sheol[a] or as high as heaven above.”

12 But Ahaz replied, “I won’t ask! I won’t put the Lord to the test.”

13 In reply, the Lord[b] announced, “Please listen, you household of David. Is it such a minor thing for you to try the patience of[c] men? Must you also try the patience of[d] my God?

14 “Therefore the Lord[e] himself will give you a sign. Watch! The virgin[f] is conceiving a child, and will give birth to a son, and his name will be called[g] Immanuel.[h] 15 He’ll eat cheese[i] and honey, when he knows enough to reject what’s wrong and choose what’s right. 16 However, before the youth knows enough to reject what’s wrong and choose what’s right, the land whose two kings you dread will be devastated.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 7:11 I.e. the realm of the dead
  2. Isaiah 7:13 Lit. reply, he
  3. Isaiah 7:13 Lit. to wear out
  4. Isaiah 7:13 Lit. also wear out
  5. Isaiah 7:14 So 1QIsaa; MT reads Lord
  6. Isaiah 7:14 So LXX; 1QIsaa MT read The young woman
  7. Isaiah 7:14 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read she will name him; MT alt. reading and you will name him
  8. Isaiah 7:14 The Heb. name Immanuel means God with us
  9. Isaiah 7:15 Or curds