Ahaz

1And 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.

Ahaz 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.

2And 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.

Someone told the royal family of King David, "Syria has joined up with Ephraim." Ephraim was another name for Israel. 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.

3Then 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;

Then 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."

4And 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.

"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."

5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

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

6Let 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:

"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."

7Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

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

8For 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.

Syria'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.

9And 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.

Ephraim'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.

10Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,

The LORD spoke to Ahaz again. He said,

11Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

"Ask the LORD your God for a sign. A sign is proof that a promise is true. Ask for one from deep below or high above."

12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

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

13And 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?

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

14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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

15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

"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."

16For 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.

"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."

17The 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.

"The LORD will bring hard 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."

28In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

This message came in the year that King Ahaz died.

29Rejoice 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.

Do 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.

30And 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.

Then 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.

31Howl, 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.

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

32What 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.

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