Focused Passage

Isaiah 7:1-9

Ahaz, the Sign of Immanuel, and the Call to Stand Firm in Faith

The chapter moves from political fear in the house of David, to Isaiah’s call for quiet trust, to the warning that unbelief cannot stand, to Ahaz’s refusal of a sign, to the Immanuel sign, to the promise that the immediate threat will fail, and finally to the announcement that Assyria will bring severe judgment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.

2 When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.

3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,

4 and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.

5 For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted your ruin, saying:

6 ‘Let us invade Judah, terrorize it, and divide it among ourselves. Then we can install the son of Tabeal over it as king.’

7 But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.

8 For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as 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 your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Now וַיְהִ֡י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in the days that בִּימֵ֣י H3117 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct Ahaz אָ֠חָז H271 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Jotham יוֹתָ֨ם H3147 Noun - proper - masculine singular the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Uzziah עֻזִּיָּ֜הוּ H5818 Noun - proper - masculine singular [was] king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֗ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular Rezin רְצִ֣ין H7526 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Aram אֲ֠רָם H758 Noun - proper - feminine singular marched up עָלָ֣ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to [wage] war לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה H4421 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular against עָלֶ֑יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular Jerusalem יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular He was accompanied by Pekah וּפֶ֨קַח H6492 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Remaliah רְמַלְיָ֤הוּ H7425 Noun - proper - masculine singular the king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular but he could יָכֹ֖ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle overpower לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם H3898 Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct [the city] עָלֶֽיהָ׃ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • That is, Syria
Verse 2

Original words

When it was reported וַיֻּגַּ֗ד H5046 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to the house לְבֵ֤ית H1004 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of David דָּוִד֙ H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct that Aram אֲרָ֖ם H758 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition was in league with נָ֥חָֽה H5117 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Ephraim אֶפְרָ֑יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular the hearts לְבָבוֹ֙ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular of Ahaz וּלְבַ֣ב H3824 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct and his people עַמּ֔וֹ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular trembled וַיָּ֤נַע H5128 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular like trees עֲצֵי־ H6086 Noun - masculine plural construct in the forest יַ֖עַר H3293 Noun - masculine singular . . . מִפְּנֵי־ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct shaken כְּנ֥וֹעַ H5128 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct by the wind רֽוּחַ׃ H7307 Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • Or had set up camp in Ephraim, that is, the northern kingdom of Israel
Verse 3

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָה֮ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition Isaiah יְשַׁעְיָהוּ֒ H3470 Noun - proper - masculine singular Go out צֵא־ H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . נָא֙ H4994 Interjection with your son בְּנֶ֑ךָ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular vvv וּשְׁאָ֖ר H7610 Shear-jashub יָשׁ֣וּב H7610 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular to meet לִקְרַ֣את H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Ahaz אָחָ֔ז H271 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אַתָּ֕ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular at אֶל־ H413 Preposition the end קְצֵ֗ה H7097 Noun - masculine singular construct of the aqueduct תְּעָלַת֙ H8585 Noun - feminine singular construct [that feeds] the upper הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה H5945 Article | Adjective - feminine singular pool הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה H1295 Article | Noun - feminine singular on אֶל־ H413 Preposition the road מְסִלַּ֖ת H4546 Noun - feminine singular construct to the Launderer’s כוֹבֵֽס׃ H3526 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Field שְׂדֵ֥ה H7704 Noun - masculine singular construct

BSB notes

  • Shear-jashub means a remnant shall return.
Verse 4

Original words

and say וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to him אֵ֠לָיו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular Calm down הִשָּׁמֵ֨ר H8104 Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular and be quiet וְהַשְׁקֵ֜ט H8252 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb be afraid תִּירָ֗א H3372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular or disheartened וּלְבָבְךָ֙ H3824 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . אַל־ H408 Adverb . . . יֵרַ֔ךְ H7401 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular over these הָאֵ֑לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural two מִשְּׁנֵ֨י H8147 Preposition-m | Number - masculine dual construct smoldering הָעֲשֵׁנִ֖ים H6226 Article | Noun - masculine plural stubs זַנְב֧וֹת H2180 Noun - masculine plural construct of firewood הָאוּדִ֛ים H181 Article | Noun - masculine plural over the fierce בָּחֳרִי־ H2750 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct anger אַ֛ף H639 Noun - masculine singular construct of Rezin רְצִ֥ין H7526 Noun - proper - masculine singular and Aram וַאֲרָ֖ם H758 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular and of the son וּבֶן־ H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of Remaliah רְמַלְיָֽהוּ׃ H7425 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

For יַ֗עַן H3282 Adverb . . . כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction Aram אֲרָ֖ם H758 Noun - proper - feminine singular along with Ephraim אֶפְרַ֥יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the son וּבֶן־ H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of Remaliah רְמַלְיָ֖הוּ H7425 Noun - proper - masculine singular has plotted יָעַ֥ץ H3289 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular your ruin רָעָ֑ה H7451 Adjective - feminine singular . . . עָלֶ֛יךָ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular saying לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 6

Original words

Let us invade נַעֲלֶ֤ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural Judah בִֽיהוּדָה֙ H3063 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular terrorize it וּנְקִיצֶ֔נָּה H6973 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person feminine singular and divide it וְנַבְקִעֶ֖נָּה H1234 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person feminine singular among ourselves אֵלֵ֑ינוּ H413 Preposition | first person common plural Then we can install מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ H4428 Noun - masculine singular the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Tabeal טָֽבְאַֽל׃ס H2870 Noun - proper - masculine singular over it בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ H8432 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker as king וְנַמְלִ֥יךְ H4427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew split it open
Verse 7

Original words

But this is what כֹּ֥ה H3541 Adverb the Lord אֲדֹנָ֣י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֑ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular It will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle arise תָק֖וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular it will not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle happen תִֽהְיֶֽה׃ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the head רֹ֤אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct of Aram אֲרָם֙ H758 Noun - proper - feminine singular is Damascus דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק H1834 Noun - proper - feminine singular [and] the head וְרֹ֥אשׁ H7218 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of Damascus דַּמֶּ֖שֶׂק H1834 Noun - proper - feminine singular is Rezin רְצִ֑ין H7526 Noun - proper - masculine singular Within וּבְע֗וֹד H5750 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adverb sixty-five שִׁשִּׁ֤ים H8346 Number - common plural . . . וְחָמֵשׁ֙ H2568 Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular years שָׁנָ֔ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular Ephraim אֶפְרַ֖יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular will be shattered יֵחַ֥ת H2865 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular as a people מֵעָֽם׃ H5971 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

The head וְרֹ֤אשׁ H7218 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of Ephraim אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular is Samaria שֹׁמְר֔וֹן H8111 Noun - proper - feminine singular and the head וְרֹ֥אשׁ H7218 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of Samaria שֹׁמְר֖וֹן H8111 Noun - proper - feminine singular is the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Remaliah רְמַלְיָ֑הוּ H7425 Noun - proper - masculine singular If אִ֚ם H518 Conjunction you do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle stand firm in your faith תַאֲמִ֔ינוּ H539 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural then כִּ֖י H3588 Conjunction you will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle stand at all תֵאָמֵֽנוּ׃ס H539 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.