Isaiah 7:1-8

1 It happened in the days of Achaz the son of Yotam, the son of `Uzziyah, king of Yehudah, that Retzin the king of Aram, and Pekach the son of Remalyahu, king of Yisra'el, went up to Yerushalayim to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2 It was told the house of David, saying, "Aram is allied with Efrayim." His heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind.

3 Then the LORD said to Yesha`yahu, "Go forth now to meet Achaz, you, and She'ar-Yashuv your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field;

4 and say to him, 'Take heed, and be quiet; don't be afraid, neither let your heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Retzin and Aram, and of the son of Remalyahu.

5 Because Aram, Efrayim, and the son of Remalyahu, have purposed evil against you, saying,

6 "Let us go up against Yehudah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tav'el;"

7 thus says the Lord GOD, "It shall not stand, neither shall it happen."

8 For the head of Aram is Dammesek, and the head of Dammesek is Retzin; and within sixty-five years shall Efrayim be broken in pieces, so that it shall not be a people:

Isaiah 7:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 7

This chapter contains a prophecy of the preservation of the kingdom of Judah, from its enemies; a confirmation of it by a sign; and a prediction of various calamities that should come upon it, antecedent to the accomplishment of that sign. The enemies of Judea are named, and the besieging of Jerusalem by them, and the date of it, which was without effect, are mentioned, Isa 7:1 the fear and dread which seized the house of David upon the news of this confederacy, Isa 7:2 the orders given by the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah, to take with him his son, and meet Ahaz, at a certain place pointed at, Isa 7:3 whose errand was to comfort him, and exhort him to be quiet and easy; since the conspiracy formed against him should be fruitless, and the kingdom of Israel should be broken to pieces, Isa 7:4-9 after which the king is put upon asking a sign of the Lord, for the confirmation of it; which he refusing to do, under a pretence of tempting the Lord, is reproved; and a sign nevertheless is given; which is that of the birth of the Messiah of a virgin, who would be truly God, as his name Immanuel shows, and truly man, as his birth, his food, and gradual knowledge of good and evil, prove, Isa 7:10-15 yea, it is suggested that the deliverance of Judea from the two kings of Syria and Israel should be very speedy; even before the young child Isaiah had with him was capable of knowing to refuse evil, and chose good, Isa 7:16 but as a chastisement of the house of David for their incredulity in this matter, and slight of the divine goodness, various things are threatened to befall them, before the birth of the Messiah; even such as had not been since the revolt of the ten tribes; as that their enemies, the Assyrians and others, should come upon them in great numbers, and fill all places, so that they would be in the utmost distress, and not be able to escape, Isa 7:17-19 there would be a great consumption of men of all sorts, high and low, signified by shaving off the hair of the head, beard, and feet; so that the few that remained would enjoy plenty, Isa 7:20-22 and for want of men to till the land, it would be covered with thorns and briers; and because of wild beasts, the few men in it would be obliged to defend themselves with bows and arrows, Isa 7:23,24 and yet, after this, the land should become fruitful again, before the Messiah's coming, Isa 7:25, as some interpret it.