Keraia
Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7:8

A Message to Ahaz · Isaiah 7:1–9
Read Isaiah 7

Translations

Modern
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.
Traditional
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.
Literal
For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin, and within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.
Latin
…sed caput Syriæ Damascus, et caput Damasci Rasin; et adhuc sexaginta et quinque anni, et desinet Ephraim esse populus;

Original

Hebrew
English
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.

Notes

Isaiah 7:8

  • The Assyrian kings Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal had Israel resettled with people from other places within 65years (by 670 BC; see 2 Kings 17:24–34).

  • Damascus was defeated and destroyed by 732 BC. Samaria was also defeated by 722 BC.

Isaiah 7:1–39:8

In this long section of the book, the nation of Israel was confronted with a vision of God, similar to how Isaiah was confronted in chapter 6.

Isaiah 7:1–25

At one point in his reign, Ahaz faced a serious crisis. The kings of Syria and Israel attacked Judah. They planned to remove Ahaz and force Judah to join them in resisting Assyria.

Instead of trusting the Lord, Ahaz asked Assyria for help (2 Kings 16:7–10). By doing this, he rejected Isaiah’s call to trust in God (Isaiah 7:12).

The Assyrians defeated Syria and Israel. In time, both nations fell. However, Assyria later turned against Judah and sought to control it completely.

Isaiah 7:1–12:6

These prophecies occurred when Assyria rose to power. Syria and Israel formed an alliance against Judah (Isaiah 7:1–2; see 2 Kings 16:5). God used Assyria as a tool to punish Syria, Israel, and Judah (Isaiah 7–10).

Events

People

Ephraim: Second son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel Rezin: King of Aram (Syria) during the reign of Ahaz

Places

Damascus: Ancient city, capital of Syria, important in biblical history Syria: Ancient region north of Israel, often in conflict

Glossary

Ahaz (King) Alliance Calah David Ephraim (Person) Head Immanuel Isaiah, Book of Pekah Remaliah Rezin

Topics

Armies: March in Ranks: Confederated Damascus: Capital of Syria Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: Applied to the Ten Tribes Head of the Chief City of a Kingdom Pekah: Prophecies Against Prophecies Concerning Israel: Prophecies Concerning of Captivity, Famine, and Judgments Rezin: A King of Syria Who Harassed the Southern Kingdom (Judah): Prophecy Against Syria: Damascus the Capital of Syria: Prophecies Concerning Syria: Prophecies Respecting: Destruction of Rezin King of Tribe of Ephraim: The Leading Tribe of the Kingdom of Israel