1 In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went up to attack Jerusalem, but could not mount an attack against it.
2 A report was made to the house of David saying: Aram has allied itself with Ephraim.« The heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook their courage failed as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
3 Jehovah said to Isaiah: »You and your son Shear-jashub should go out to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the laundrymans field Fullers Field.
4 »Say to him: Be careful, keep calm and do not be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood and because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.
5 »Aram, Ephraim and Remaliahs son have plotted your ruin. They say:
6 »»Let us invade Judah. Let us tear it apart and divide it among us. Let us make the son of Tabeel king over Judah.«
7 »This is what the Lord Jehovah says: »It will not take place! It will not happen!
8 »»Because 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.
9 »»The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliahs son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.« «
10 Again Jehovah spoke to Ahaz:
11 »Ask Jehovah your God for a sign. Ask it in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.«
12 But Ahaz said: »I will not ask. I will not put Jehovah to the test.«
13 Isaiah said: »Hear this you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?«
14 Therefore Jehovah will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel God with us.
15 He will eat butter and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right.
16 But 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.
17 Jehovah 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 upon you.
18 »In that day Jehovah will whistle for the flies that are at the distant branches of the Nile River in Egypt and for the bees that are in Assyria.
19 »All of them will come and settle in the deep valleys, in the cracks in the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes, and at all the water holes.
20 »In that day Jehovah will hire the king of Assyria from beyond the Euphrates River to be a razor to shave the hair on your head, the hair on your legs, and even your beard.
21 »On that day a person will keep alive a young cow and two sheep.
22 »They will give so much milk that he will have all he needs. Yes, the few survivors left in the land will have milk and honey to eat.
23 »When that time comes, the fine vineyards, each with a thousand vines and each worth a thousand pieces of silver, will be overgrown with thorn bushes and briers.
24 »People will go hunting there with bows and arrows. Yes, the whole country will be full of briers and thorn bushes.
25 »All the hills where crops were once planted will be so overgrown with thorns that no one will go there. It will be a place where cattle and sheep graze.«