Isaiah
First warning to Ahaz
7
1 When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Re maliah, king of Israel, laid siege to Jeru salem but they were unable to capture it. 2 When the news reached the house of David, “Aram’s troops are encamped in Ephraim,” the heart of the king and the hearts of the people trembled as the trees of the forest tremble before the wind.
3 Yahweh then said to Isaiah: “Go with your son A-remnant-will-return, and meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washer man’s Field. 4 Stay calm and fear not; do not lose courage before these two stumps of smoldering fire brands – the fierce anger of Rezin the Aramean and the blazing fury of the son of Remaliah. You know that 5 Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted against Judah, saying: 6 Let us in vade and scare it, let us seize it and put the son of Tabeel king over it. 7 But the Lord Yahweh says: 7 It shall not be so,
7 it shall not come to pass.
8a For Damascus is only the head of Aram
8a and Rezin the lord of Damascus.
9a Samaria is only the head of Ephraim
9a and Remaliah’s son is only the lord of Samaria.
8b Within fifty-six years,
8b Ephraim will be shattered
8b and will no longer be a people.
9b But if you do not stand firm in faith,
9b you, too, will not stand at all.”
The Virgin is with child
10 Once again Yahweh ad dressed Ahaz, 11 “Ask for a sign from Yahweh your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the pa tience of my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: 14 The Virgin is with child and bears a son and calls his name Immanuel. 15 He will live on curds and honey by the time he learns to refuse evil and choose good. 16 For before the child knows how to reject evil and cherish virtue, the land of the two kings that you abhor will be deserted. 17 Yah weh will bring a time much worse than any since Ephraim broke away from Judah. 18 On that day Yahweh will whistle
18 for flies from the farthest streams of Egypt
18 and for bees from the land of Assyria.
19 They will come and settle
19 in the steep ravines,
19 in the clefts of the rocks,
19 on all the bushes,
19 and on every pasture.
20 On that day,
20 with a razor hired from beyond the river
20 (with the king of Assyria),
20 Yahweh will shave the head
20 and the hair of the legs
20 and the beard as well.
21 On that day a man will raise
21 a heifer and a couple of sheep,
22 and from the abundance of milk
22 those who survive in the land
22 will feed on curds and honey.
24 Men will go there
24 armed with bows and arrows,
24 for the whole country
24 will be covered with briers and thorns.
25 No one will dare come
25 to all the hills which used to be cultivated with hoe,
25 for fear of briers and thorns.
25 There, cattle will be let loose
25 and sheep left to graze.