71 Now it came about in the days of Ahaz , the son of Jotham , the son of Uzziah , king of Judah , that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah , king of Israel , went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer e it. 2 When it was reported to the house of David , saying , "The Arameans have camped in Ephraim ," his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind . 3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah , "Go out now to meet Ahaz , you and your son Shear-jashub , at the end of the conduit of the upper pool , on the highway to the fuller's field , 4 and say to him, 'Take care and be calm , have no fear and do not be fainthearted e because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands , on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah . 5 'Because e Aram , with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah , has planned evil against you, saying , 6 "Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," 7 thus says the Lord GOD : " It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass . 8 "For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 e years Ephraim will be shattered , so that it is no longer a people ), 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah . If you will not believe , you surely shall not last .""'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 7:1-9
Commentary on Isaiah 7:1-9
(Read Isaiah 7:1-9)
Ungodly men are often punished by others as bad as themselves. Being in great distress and confusion, the Jews gave up all for lost. They had made God their enemy, and knew not how to make him their friend. The prophet must teach them to despise their enemies, in faith and dependence on God. Ahaz, in fear, called them two powerful princes. No, says the prophet, they are but tails of smoking firebrands, burnt out already. The two kingdoms of Syria and Israel were nearly expiring. While God has work for the firebrands of the earth, they consume all before them; but when their work is fulfilled, they will be extinguished in smoke. That which Ahaz thought most formidable, is made the ground of their defeat; because they have taken evil counsel against thee; which is an offence to God. God scorns the scorners, and gives his word that the attempt should not succeed. Man purposes, but God disposes. It was folly for those to be trying to ruin their neighbours, who were themselves near to ruin. Isaiah must urge the Jews to rely on the assurances given them. Faith is absolutely necessary to quiet and compose the mind in trials.