Isaiah 7:1-17

New International Version

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.

²Now 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.

³Then 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) ⁴Say 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) ⁵Aram, 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.” ⁷Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(S)

“‘It will not take place,
    it will not happen,^(T)
⁸for the head of Aram is Damascus,^(U)
    and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.^(V)
Within sixty-five years
    Ephraim will be too shattered^(W) to be a people.
⁹The head of Ephraim is Samaria,^(X)
    and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand^(Y) firm in your faith,^(Z)
    you will not stand at all.’”^(AA)

¹⁰Again 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)”

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

¹³Then 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? ¹⁴Therefore 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) ¹⁵He will be eating curds^(AM) and honey^(AN) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶for 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) ¹⁷The 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)”