The Arameans have made an alliance with the Israelites in order to create a united front against Assyria. In order to further their goals, they plan to dethrone Ahaz and place their own man (“the son of Tabeel,” 7:6) on the throne in Jerusalem. The prophet and his son Shear-Jashub (whose name signifies the hope that “a remnant will return”) meet Ahaz at the upper pool. Ahaz is shaken by the alliance and needs counsel (7:1–9).

Isaiah calls on Ahaz to face the crisis from God’s perspective. These two mighty kingdoms, Israel and Aram, are nothing more than “two smoldering stubs of firewood” (7:4) who will soon come to an end. The challenge (7:9) is a pun created by the assonance of the Hebrew words translated “stand firm” and “stand”; the NIV makes an attempt to reflect this. Aram came to a…