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^(BP) and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.”^{[h](BQ) 2} So I called in Uriah^(BR) the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses^(BS) for me. ³ Then I made love to the prophetess,^(BT) and she conceived and gave birth to a son.^(BU) And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.^{(BV) 4} For before the boy knows^(BW) how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus^(BX) and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.^(BY)”

⁵ The Lord spoke to me again:

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

¹⁸ Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(DI) We are signs^(DJ) and symbols^(DK) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(DL)

The Darkness Turns to Light

¹⁹ When someone tells you to consult^(DM) mediums and spiritists,^(DN) who whisper and mutter,^(DO) should not a people inquire^(DP) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰ Consult God’s instruction^(DQ) and the testimony of warning.^(DR) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(DS) of dawn. ²¹ Distressed and hungry,^(DT) they will roam through the land;^(DU) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(DV) their king and their God. ²² Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(DW) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(DX)