Ahaz

1Ahaz was king of Judah. His father was Jotham, and Jotham's father was Uzziah. While Ahaz was king, two other kings came to fight Jerusalem. They were Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel. But they could not beat the city.

And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

NoteLong ago God's people were one country. Then they split into two. Judah was in the south, and Jerusalem was its main city. Israel was in the north. Syria was another country nearby.

2Someone told the royal family of King David, "Syria has joined up with Ephraim." Then the king's heart shook with fear, and his people's hearts shook too. They shook like trees in a forest when the wind blows.

And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

NoteThe house of David means the king's family. David was a great king long before this. Ahaz came from David's family. Ephraim was another name for Israel.

3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out and meet Ahaz. Take your son Shear-jashub with you. Meet him where the water channel ends at the upper pool. It is on the road by the field where people wash clothes."

Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;

NoteIsaiah was a prophet. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. Isaiah's son had a name with a message in it: "A few will come back."

4"Say to him: Stay calm and be quiet. Do not be afraid. Do not lose heart over these two kings. They are only like two burnt sticks that still smoke. Rezin of Syria and the son of Remaliah are very angry. Do not fear them."

And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

NoteTwo burnt sticks that still smoke are nearly out of fire. Isaiah says the two kings are like that. They look scary, but their power is almost gone.

5"Syria and Ephraim and the son of Remaliah have made a bad plan against you. This is what they said:"

Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

6"Let us go fight Judah and scare its people. Let us break into it and split it up. Then we will make the son of Tabeal king there."

Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:

NoteThe son of Tabeal was the man these kings wanted as king. They planned to push Ahaz off the throne.

7But the Lord GOD says, "That plan will not stand. It will not happen."

Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

8Syria's leading city is Damascus, and Damascus is led by Rezin. In sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces. It will not be a people anymore.

For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

NoteDamascus was the biggest city in Syria. Sixty-five years was longer than many people lived back then. Broken to pieces means the people would be carried off to other lands.

9Ephraim's leading city is Samaria, and Samaria is led by Remaliah's son. If you will not trust God, you will not stand firm at all.

And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

NoteSamaria was the biggest city in Israel, the country up north.

10The LORD spoke to Ahaz again. He said,

Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,

11"Ask the LORD your God for a sign. Ask for one from deep below or high above."

Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

NoteA sign is something God does to show his words are true. Deep below or high above means anything at all, anywhere.

12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask. I will not test the LORD."

But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

NoteTo test God means asking him to prove he is telling the truth. God had just told Ahaz he could. Ahaz still said no.

13Then Isaiah said, "Listen now, family of David. You already wear out the patience of people. Will you wear out my God's patience too?"

And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

NoteFamily of David means King Ahaz and his royal family.

14"So the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! A virgin will have a baby boy. She will name him Immanuel."

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

NoteA virgin is a young woman who has never been married. Immanuel is a name that means "God is with us." Names back then often carried a message.

15"He will eat curds and honey. That is what he will be eating by the time he can turn down what is bad and choose what is good."

Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

NoteCurds are thick, soft milk, a little like yogurt. The honey came from wild bees, not from hives. This was simple food, not food grown on farms.

16"Before the boy is old enough to turn down bad and choose good, something will happen. The land of those two kings you are afraid of will be left empty."

For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

NoteThe two kings are Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel.

17"The LORD will bring days on you, on your people, and on your father's family. There have been no days like them since Ephraim broke away from Judah. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria."

The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father’s house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

NoteAssyria was a huge, strong country far away. Its army was the most feared army of that time. Ephraim broke away from Judah when the one country split in two.

28This message came in the year that King Ahaz died.

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

NoteAhaz was a king of Judah, the land around Jerusalem. The King James calls this message a "burden." That means a heavy, serious message from God.

29Do not be glad, all you Philistines. The rod that hit you is broken, but do not cheer. From that snake's root will come a poisonous snake. Its young will be a flying, burning snake.

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

NoteThe Philistines lived by the sea next to Israel. They fought Israel many times. The King James calls their land "Palestina." The "rod" means the king whose army hit them. A "cockatrice" is an old word for a snake with deadly poison.

30Then the poorest people will have food to eat. People in need will lie down safe. But I will kill your root with hunger. The few of you left will be killed.

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

NoteFamine means no food grows for a long time. People get very hungry. "Killing your root" means the whole family is wiped out.

31Cry out, city gate! Cry out, city! Melt with fear, all you Philistines! Smoke is coming from the north. Not one soldier falls behind.

Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

NoteThe city gate was the big door in the wall around a town. People met there, and soldiers guarded it. Smoke from the north means an army is marching close.

32What will people answer the messengers from that nation? They will say, "The LORD built Zion. His hurting people are safe there."

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

NoteZion is the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood. The name often means the whole city. The messengers were men sent from another country to talk.