But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt Yahweh.”
- KJV But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.
- NKJV But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
- NASB But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!”
- NLT But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign, claiming he will not put the Lord to the test. It is a false piety that masks his unbelief and reliance on Assyria instead.
Overview
Ahaz cloaks his rejection of God's offer in a seemingly reverent refusal to 'tempt' the Lord, but he has already resolved to trust Assyria rather than God. His refusal of grace prompts God to give the Immanuel sign anyway (7:14), a promise that points beyond Ahaz to the virgin-born Christ. The verse warns that disguising unbelief as devotion does not escape God's notice, yet His saving purpose advances regardless.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Chr 28:22In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
- Deut 6:16Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.
- 1 Cor 10:9We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
- 2 Kgs 16:15Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”
- Mal 3:15So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”
- Acts 5:9“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
- Ezek 33:31So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 7:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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