Isaiah 7

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but they could not conquer it.	1 In the days of Ahaz, king of Judah, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, king of Israel, son of Remaliah, went up to attack Jerusalem, but they were not able to conquer it.
2 When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.	2 When word came to the house of David that Aram was encamped in Ephraim, the heart of the king and heart of the people trembled, as the trees of the forest tremble in the wind.
3 And the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go forth to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field,	3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah: Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field,
4 and say to him, 'Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.	4 and say to him: Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail before these two stumps of smoldering brands (the blazing anger of Rezin and the Arameans, and of the son of Remaliah),
5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying,	5 because of the mischief that Aram (Ephraim and the son of Remaliah) plots against you, saying,
6 "Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabe-el as king in the midst of it,"	6 "Let us go up and tear Judah asunder, make it our own by force, and appoint the son of Tabeel king there."
7 thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.	7 Thus says the LORD: This shall not stand, it shall not be!
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. (Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.)	8 Damascus is the capital of Aram, and Rezin the head of Damascus; Samaria is the capital of Ephraim, and Remaliah's son the head of Samaria.
9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.'"	9 But within sixty years and five, Ephraim shall be crushed, no longer a nation. Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz,	10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz:
11 "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."	11 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test."	12 But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?	13 Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God?
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el.	14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.	15 He shall be living on curds and honey by the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good.
16 For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.	16 For before the child learns to reject the bad and choose the good, the land of those two kings whom you dread shall be deserted.
17 The LORD will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah-- the king of Assyria."	17 The LORD shall bring upon you and your people and your father's house days worse than any since Ephraim seceded from Judah. (This means the king of Assyria.)
18 In that day the LORD will whistle for the fly which is at the sources of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee which is in the land of Assyria.	18 On that day The LORD shall whistle for the fly that is in the farthest streams of Egypt, and for the bee in the land of Assyria.
19 And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures.	19 All of them shall come and settle in the steep ravines and in the rocky clefts, on all thornbushes and in all pastures.
20 In that day the Lord will shave with a razor which is hired beyond the River-- with the king of Assyria-- the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.	20 On that day the LORD shall shave with the razor hired from across the River (with the king of Assyria) the head, and the hair between the legs. It shall also shave off the beard.
21 In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep;	21 On that day a man shall keep a heifer or a couple of sheep,
22 and because of the abundance of milk which they give, he will eat curds; for every one that is left in the land will eat curds and honey.	22 and from their abundant yield of milk he shall live on curds; curds and honey shall be the food of all who remain in the land.
23 In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns.	23 On that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand pieces of silver, shall be turned to briers and thorns.
24 With bow and arrows men will come there, for all the land will be briers and thorns;	24 Men shall go there with bow and arrows; for all the country shall be briers and thorns.
25 and as for all the hills which used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not come there for fear of briers and thorns; but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.	25 For fear of briers and thorns you shall not go upon any mountainside which used to be hoed with the mattock; they shall be grazing land for cattle and shall be trampled upon by sheep.