A Message to Ahaz 1 UDB Ahaz was the son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah. During the time that Ahaz was the king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel marched with their armies to attack Jerusalem, but they could not conquer it. BSB BSB: Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.
2 UDB Before they attacked, everyone in the palace in Jerusalem heard news that Aram and Israel were now allies. So King Ahaz and the people over whom he ruled were extremely afraid; they were shaking like trees shake in a windstorm. BSB BSB: When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
3 UDB Then Yahweh said to me, "Take your son Shear-Jashub, and go to talk with King Ahaz. He is at the end of the aqueduct that brings water into the upper reservoir, near the road to the place where women wash clothes. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
4 UDB Tell Ahaz to stop worrying. Tell him that he does not need to be afraid of those two kings, Rezin and Pekah. They are very angry with Judah, but they are unable to harm his country any more than completely burned-out coals could harm him. BSB BSB: and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.
5 UDB Yes, they are planning against him and saying, BSB BSB: For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted your ruin, saying:
6 UDB 'We will attack Judah and conquer it. Then we will appoint Tabeel's son to be the king of Judah.' BSB BSB: ‘Let us invade Judah, terrorize it, and divide it among ourselves. Then we can install the son of Tabeal over it as king.’
7 UDB But this is what Yahweh the Lord says: 'It will not happen; They will not conquer Jerusalem! BSB BSB: But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.
8 UDB The capital of Aram is Damascus, but Damascus is ruled only by its unimportant King Rezin. And as for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be conquered and completely destroyed. BSB BSB: For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.
9 UDB Israel's capital is Samaria, and Samaria is ruled only by its insignificant King Pekah. So you do not need to be afraid of those two countries! But you must trust me because if you do not trust me firmly, you will be defeated.'" BSB BSB: The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”
The Sign of Immanuel (Matthew 1:18–25)
11 UDB He said to tell him, "Request me, Yahweh your God, to do something that will enable you to be sure that I will help you. What you request can be in a place that is as high as the sky or as low as the place where the dead people are." BSB BSB: “Ask for a sign from the LORD your God, whether from the depths of Sheol or the heights of heaven.”
12 UDB But when I told that to the king, he refused. He said, "No, I will not ask Yahweh to do something to prove that he will help us." BSB BSB: But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”
13 UDB Then I said to him, "You people who are descendants of King David, listen! You are causing me to be tired of being patient. Are you also going to cause my God to stop being patient with you? BSB BSB: Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well?
15 UDB By the time that child is old enough to eat curds and honey, he will be able to reject what is evil and choose what is good. BSB BSB: By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.
16 UDB And before that child is old enough to do that, the lands of the two kings that you are very afraid of will be deserted. BSB BSB: For before the boy knows enough to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
Judgment to Come (Micah 1:1–7)
17 UDB But then Yahweh will cause you and your family and your entire nation to experience terrible disasters. Those disasters will be worse than any disasters that have occurred since the country of Israel separated from Judah. Yahweh will cause the army of the king of Assyria to attack you!" BSB BSB: The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
18 UDB At that time, it will be as though Yahweh will whistle to summon the army from the south of Egypt as well as the army of Assyria. They will come and surround your country like flies and bees. BSB BSB: On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.
19 UDB They will all come and settle everywhere—in the narrow valleys and caves in the rock cliffs, on land where there are thornbushes as well as on the fertile land. BSB BSB: And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and clefts of the rocks, in all the thornbushes and watering holes.
20 UDB At that time Yahweh will hire the king of Assyria to come with his army from east of the Euphrates River. They will get rid of everything in your land—the crops and the people. They will destroy everything thoroughly; it will be like a barber shaving not only a man's hair but his beard and the hair on his legs. BSB BSB: On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well.
21 UDB When that happens, a farmer will be able to keep alive only one young cow and two goats. BSB BSB: On that day a man will raise a young cow and two sheep,
22 UDB However, those animals will give plenty of milk, with the result that the farmer will have curds to eat. And because there will not be many people left in the land, all the people who remain there will have plenty of milk and honey. BSB BSB: and from the abundance of milk they give, he will eat curds; for all who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.
23 UDB Now there are many areas where there are vineyards that are worth one thousand pieces of silver, but at that time there will be only briers and thorns in those fields. BSB BSB: And on that day, in every place that had a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, only briers and thorns will be found.
24 UDB There will be only briers and thorns in the entire land, and wild animals, with the result that men will take their bows and arrows and go there to hunt and kill animals. BSB BSB: Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns.
25 UDB No one will go to where there previously were gardens on fertile hillsides because briers and thorns will cover those hillsides. They will be areas where only a few cattle and sheep and goats wander around searching for something to eat. BSB BSB: For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.