| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1During the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it. | 1When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan. |
| 2It was reported to the family of David, "Syria has allied with Ephraim." They and their people were emotionally shaken, just as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. | 2The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm. |
| 3So the LORD told Isaiah, "Go out with your son Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. | 3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed. |
| 4Tell him, 'Make sure you stay calm! Don't be afraid! Don't be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs, or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah. | 4Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. |
| 5Syria has plotted with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah to bring about your demise. | 5Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, |
| 6They say, "Let's attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it. Then we'll set up the son of Tabeel as its king." | 6‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’ |
| 7For this reason the sovereign master, the LORD, says: "It will not take place; it will not happen. | 7But this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place; |
| 8For Syria's leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation. | 8for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed. |
| 9Ephraim's leader is Samaria, and Samaria's leader is the son of Remaliah. If your faith does not remain firm, then you will not remain secure." | 9Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” The Sign of Immanuel |
| 10The LORD again spoke to Ahaz: | 10Later, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz: |
| 11"Ask for a confirming sign from the LORD your God. You can even ask for something miraculous." | 11“Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead. ” |
| 12But Ahaz responded, "I don't want to ask; I don't want to put the LORD to a test." | 12But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.” |
| 13So Isaiah replied, "Pay attention, family of David. Do you consider it too insignificant to try the patience of men? Is that why you are also trying the patience of my God? | 13Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? |
| 14For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel. | 14All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). |
| 15He will eat sour milk and honey, which will help him know how to reject evil and choose what is right. | 15By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. |
| 16Here is why this will be so: Before the child knows how to reject evil and choose what is right, the land whose two kings you fear will be desolate. | 16For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted. |
| 17The LORD will bring on you, your people, and your father's family a time unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah--the king of Assyria!" | 17“Then the LORD will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!” |
| 18At that time the LORD will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. | 18In that day the LORD will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees. |
| 19All of them will come and make their home in the ravines between the cliffs, and in the crevices of the cliffs, in all the thorn bushes, and in all the watering holes. | 19They will come in vast hordes and settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places. |
| 20At that time the sovereign master will use a razor hired from the banks of the Euphrates River, the king of Assyria, to shave the head and the pubic hair; it will also shave off the beard. | 20In that day the Lord will hire a “razor” from beyond the Euphrates River —the king of Assyria—and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people. |
| 21At that time a man will keep alive a young cow from the herd and a couple of goats. | 21In that day a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep or goats left. |
| 22From the abundance of milk they produce, he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey. | 22Nevertheless, there will be enough milk for everyone because so few people will be left in the land. They will eat their fill of yogurt and honey. |
| 23At that time every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will be overrun with thorns and briers. | 23In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns. |
| 24With bow and arrow men will hunt there, for the whole land will be covered with thorns and briers. | 24The entire land will become a vast expanse of briers and thorns, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. |
| 25They will stay away from all the hills that were cultivated, for fear of the thorns and briers. Cattle will graze there and sheep will trample on them. | 25No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there. |
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