Isaiah 7
1 In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not conquer it.
2 A report was brought to the house of David: “Aram has joined forces with Ephraim.” Then his heart and the heart of his people trembled like the trees of the forest shake in the wind.
3 The LORD said to Isaiah: “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the channel of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field.
4 Say to him, ‘Be careful, stay calm, and do not be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood, because of the fierce anger of Rezin, Aram, and the son of Remaliah.
5 Aram has plotted evil against you, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, saying,
6 “Let us go up against Judah, terrify it, and seize it for ourselves, and let us make the son of Tabeel king over it.”
7 This is what the Lord GOD says: “It will not happen; it will not come to pass.
8 For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered and will no longer be a people.
9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand firm.’”
10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz again:
11 “Ask the LORD your God for a sign. Ask for it from the depths below or from the heights above.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.”
13 Then he said, “Listen, house of David! Is it not enough to tire people out? Will you tire out my God too?
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The young woman is pregnant and will give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel.
15 He will eat curds and honey when he knows how to reject evil and choose good.
16 For before the boy knows how to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.
17 The LORD will bring upon you, your people, and your father’s house days unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah: he will bring the king of Assyria.
18 On that day the LORD will whistle for the fly at the far reaches of Egypt’s rivers and for the bee in the land of Assyria.
19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines, in the clefts of the rocks, among all the thornbushes and all the pastures.
20 On that day the Lord will shave, with a hired razor from beyond the River, through the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the legs; he will also sweep away the beard.
21 On that day each person will raise a young cow and two sheep.
22 Because of the abundance of milk, he will eat curds; indeed, everyone left in the land will eat curds and honey.
23 On that day every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand pieces of silver will become thorns and weeds.
24 People will go there only with bow and arrows, because the whole land will be thorns and weeds.
25 You will not go to any of the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, for fear of the thorns and weeds. They will be left for cattle to graze and sheep to trample.
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