Isaiah 7 – NIVUK & NIRV

New International Version – UK

Isaiah 7:1-25

The sign of Immanuel

1When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

2Now the house of David was told, ‘Aram has allied itself with7:2 Or has set up camp in Ephraim’; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, ‘Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub,7:3 Shear-Jashub means a remnant will return. to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. 4Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smouldering stubs of firewood – because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6‘Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.’ 7Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘ “It will not take place,

it will not happen,

8for the head of Aram is Damascus,

and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.

Within sixty-five years

Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.

9The head of Ephraim is Samaria,

and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.

If you do not stand firm in your faith,

you will not stand at all.” ’

10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’

12But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’

13Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you7:14 The Hebrew is plural. a sign: the virgin7:14 Or young woman will conceive and give birth to a son, and7:14 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls son, and he or son, and they will call him Immanuel.7:14 Immanuel means God with us. 15He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah – he will bring the king of Assyria.’

Assyria, the Lord’s instrument

18In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. 20In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River Euphrates – the king of Assyria – to shave your heads and private parts, and to cut off your beards also. 21In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,7:23 That is, about 12 kilograms there will be only briers and thorns. 24Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.

New International Reader’s Version

Isaiah 7:1-25

The Sign of Immanuel

1Ahaz was king of Judah. Rezin was king of Aram. And Pekah was king of Israel. Rezin and Pekah marched up to fight against Jerusalem. But they couldn’t overpower it. Ahaz was the son of Jotham and the grandson of Uzziah. Pekah was the son of Remaliah.

2The royal family of Ahaz was told, “The army of Aram has joined forces with Ephraim’s army.” So the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled with fear. They shook just as trees in the forest shake when the wind blows through them.

3The Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out and see Ahaz. Take your son Shear-Jashub with you. Meet Ahaz at the end of the channel that brings water from the Upper Pool. It is on the road to the Washerman’s Field. 4Tell Ahaz, ‘Be careful. Stay calm. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of the great anger of Rezin, Aram and the son of Remaliah. After all, they are nothing but two pieces of smoking firewood. 5Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have planned to destroy you. They said, 6“Let’s march into Judah and attack it. Let’s tear everything down. Then we can share the land among ourselves. And we can make Tabeel’s son king over it.” 7But I am the Lord and King. I say,

“ ‘ “That will not happen.

It will not take place.

8The capital of Aram is Damascus.

And the ruler of Damascus is only Rezin.

Do not worry about the people of Ephraim.

They will be too crushed to be considered a people.

That will happen before 65 years are over.

9The capital of Ephraim is Samaria.

And the ruler of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.

If you do not stand firm in your faith,

you will not stand at all.” ’ ”

10The Lord spoke to Ahaz through Isaiah again. He said, 11“I am the Lord your God. Ask me to give you a sign. It can be anything in the deepest grave or in the highest heaven.”

12But Ahaz said, “I won’t ask. I won’t test the Lord.”

13Then Isaiah said, “Listen, you members of the royal family of David! Isn’t it enough for you to test the patience of human beings? Are you also going to test the patience of my God? 14The Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel. 15He will still be very young when he can decide between right and wrong. 16Even before then, the lands of the two kings you fear will be ruined. 17The Lord will also bring the king of Assyria against you. And he will bring him against your people and the whole royal family. That will be a time of trouble. It will be unlike any since the people of Ephraim broke away from Judah.”

The Lord Uses Assyria to Judge Judah

18At that time the Lord will whistle for the Egyptians. They will come like flies from the Nile River in Egypt. He will also whistle for the Assyrians. They will come from their country like bees. 19All of them will come and camp in the deep valleys. They will camp in caves in the rocks. And they’ll camp near bushes and water holes. 20At that time the Lord will use the Assyrians to punish you. Ahaz had hired them earlier from east of the Euphrates River. Now their king will be like a razor in the Lord’s hand. He will shave the hair from your head and private parts. He will also shave off your beards. 21At that time a person may only be able to keep alive one young cow and two goats. 22But they will give plenty of milk to live on. In fact, everyone left in the land will only have milk curds and honey to eat. 23The land used to have vineyards with 1,000 vines worth 25 pounds of silver. But soon the whole land will be covered with thorns and bushes. 24Hunters will go there with bows and arrows. That’s because it will be covered with bushes and thorns. 25All the hills used to be plowed with hoes. But you won’t go there anymore. That’s because you will be afraid of the thorns and bushes. Cattle will be turned loose on those hills. Sheep will also run there.