Isaiah 7

A Virgin Will Bear a Son

1 During the time that Ahaz son of Jothan, son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem, but the attack sputtered out.2 When the Davidic government learned that Aram had joined forces with Ephraim (that is, Israel), Ahaz and his people were badly shaken. They shook like trees in the wind.

3 Then God told Isaiah, "Go and meet Ahaz. Take your son Shear-jashub (A-Remnant-Will-Return) with you. Meet him south of the city at the end of the aqueduct where it empties into the upper pool on the road to the public laundry.4 Tell him, Listen, calm down. Don't be afraid. And don't panic over these two burnt-out cases, Rezin of Aram and the son of Remaliah. They talk big but there's nothing to them.5 Aram, along with Ephraim's son of Remaliah, have plotted to do you harm. They've conspired against you, saying,6 'Let's go to war against Judah, dismember it, take it for ourselves, and set the son of Tabeel up as a puppet king over it.'

7 But God, the Master, says, "It won't happen. Nothing will come of it8 Because the capital of Aram is Damascus and the king of Damascus is a mere man, Rezin. As for Ephraim, in sixty-five years it will be rubble, nothing left of it.9 The capital of Ephraim is Samaria, and the king of Samaria is the mere son of Remaliah. If you don't take your stand in faith, you won't have a leg to stand on."

10 God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said,11 "Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!"

12 But Ahaz said, "I'd never do that. I'd never make demands like that on God!"

13 So Isaiah told him, "Then listen to this, government of David! It's bad enough that you make people tired with your pious, timid hypocrisies, but now you're making God tired.14 So the Master is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She'll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).15 By the time the child is twelve years old, able to make moral decisions,16 the threat of war will be over. Relax, those two kings that have you so worried will be out of the picture.17 But also be warned: God will bring on you and your people and your government a judgment worse than anything since the time the kingdom split, when Ephraim left Judah. The king of Assyria is coming!"

18 That's when God will whistle for the flies at the headwaters of Egypt's Nile, and whistle for the bees in the land of Assyria.19 They'll come and infest every nook and cranny of this country. There'll be no getting away from them.

20 And that's when the Master will take the razor rented from across the Euphrates-the king of Assyria no less!-and shave the hair off your heads and genitals, leaving you shamed, exposed, and denuded. He'll shave off your beards while he's at it.

21 It will be a time when survivors will count themselves lucky to have a cow and a couple of sheep.22 At least they'll have plenty of milk! Whoever's left in the land will learn to make do with the simplest foods-curds, say, and honey.

23 But that's not the end of it. This country that used to be covered with fine vineyards-thousands of them, worth millions!-will revert to a weed patch.24 Weeds and thorn bushes everywhere! Good for nothing except, perhaps, hunting rabbits.25 Cattle and sheep will forage as best they can in the fields of weeds-but there won't be a trace of all those fertile and well-tended gardens and fields.

Isaiah 8

1 Then God told me, "Get a big sheet of paper and write in indelible ink, 'This belongs to Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Spoil-Speeds-Plunder-Hurries).'"

2 I got two honest men, Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah, to witness the document.

3 Then I went home to my wife, the prophetess. She conceived and gave birth to a son.4 Before that baby says 'Daddy' or 'Mamma' the king of Assyria will have plundered the wealth of Damascus and the riches of Samaria."

5 God spoke to me again, saying:6 "Because this people has turned its back on the gently flowing stream of Shiloah And gotten all excited over Rezin and the son of Remaliah,7 I'm stepping in and facing them with the wild floodwaters of the Euphrates, The king of Assyria and all his fanfare, a river in flood, bursting its banks,8 Pouring into Judah, sweeping everything before it, water up to your necks, A huge wingspan of a raging river, O Immanuel, spreading across your land."

9 But face the facts, all you oppressors, and then wring your hands. Listen, all of you, far and near. Prepare for the worst and wring your hands. Yes, prepare for the worst and wring your hands!10 Plan and plot all you want-nothing will come of it. All your talk is mere talk, empty words, Because when all is said and done, the last word is Immanuel-God-With-Us. A Boulder Blocking Your Way

A Boulder Blocking Your Way

11 God spoke strongly to me, grabbed me with both hands and warned me not to go along with this people. He said:12 "Don't be like this people, always afraid somebody is plotting against them. Don't fear what they fear. Don't take on their worries.13 If you're going to worry, worry about The Holy. Fear God-of-the-Angel-Armies.14 The Holy can be either a Hiding Place or a Boulder blocking your way, The Rock standing in the willful way of both houses of Israel, A barbed-wire Fence preventing trespass to the citizens of Jerusalem.15 Many of them are going to run into that Rock and get their bones broken, Get tangled up in that barbed wire and not get free of it."

16 Gather up the testimony, preserve the teaching for my followers,17 While I wait for God as long as he remains in hiding, while I wait and hope for him.18 I stand my ground and hope, I and the children God gave me as signs to Israel, Warning signs and hope signs from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who makes his home in Mount Zion.

19 When people tell you, "Try out the fortunetellers. Consult the spiritualists. Why not tap into the spirit-world, get in touch with the dead?"20 Tell them, "No, we're going to study the Scriptures." People who try the other ways get nowhere-a dead end!21 Frustrated and famished, they try one thing after another. When nothing works out they get angry, cursing first this god and then that one, Looking this way and that,22 up, down, and sideways-and seeing nothing, A blank wall, an empty hole. They end up in the dark with nothing.

Isaiah 9

A Child Has Been Born—for Us!

1 But there'll be no darkness for those who were in trouble. Earlier he did bring the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali into disrepute, but the time is coming when he'll make that whole area glorious-the road along the Sea, the country past the Jordan, international Galilee.

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows-light! sunbursts of light!3 You repopulated the nation, you expanded its joy. Oh, they're so glad in your presence! Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.4 The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants-all their whips and cudgels and curses-Is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon's old victory over Midian.5 The boots of all those invading troops, along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood, Will be piled in a heap and burned, a fire that will burn for days!6 For a child has been born-for us! the gift of a son-for us! He'll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness.7 His ruling authority will grow, and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings. He'll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going With fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this. God Answered Fire with Fire

God Answered Fire with Fire

8 The Master sent a message against Jacob. It landed right on Israel's doorstep.9 All the people soon heard the message, Ephraim and the citizens of Samaria. But they were a proud and arrogant bunch. They dismissed the message, saying,10 "Things aren't that bad. We can handle anything that comes. If our buildings are knocked down, we'll rebuild them bigger and finer. If our forests are cut down, we'll replant them with finer trees."

11 So God incited their adversaries against them, stirred up their enemies to attack:12 From the east, Arameans; from the west, Philistines. They made hash of Israel. But even after that, he was still angry, his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.

13 But the people paid no mind to him who hit them, didn't seek God-of-the-Angel-Armies.14 So God hacked off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed, both on the same day.15 The big-head elders were the head, the lying prophets were the tail.16 Those who were supposed to lead this people led them down blind alleys, And those who followed the leaders ended up lost and confused.17 That's why the Master lost interest in the young men, had no feeling for their orphans and widows. All of them were godless and evil, talking filth and folly. And even after that, he was still angry, his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.

18 Their wicked lives raged like an out-of-control fire, the kind that burns everything in its path-Trees and bushes, weeds and grasses-filling the skies with smoke.19 God-of-the-Angel-Armies answered fire with fire, set the whole country on fire, Turned the people into consuming fires, consuming one another in their lusts -20 Appetites insatiable, stuffing and gorging themselves left and right with people and things. But still they starved. Not even their children were safe from their rapacious hunger.21 Manasseh ate Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and then the two ganged up against Judah. And after that, he was still angry, his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.