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Selected Verse: Isaiah 7:12 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Isa 7:12 |
Strong Concordance |
But Ahaz [0271] said [0559], I will not ask [07592], neither will I tempt [05254] [0853] the LORD [03068]. |
| |
King James |
But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| neither . . . tempt--hypocritical pretext of keeping the law (Deu 6:16); "tempt," that is, put God to the proof, as in Mat 4:7, by seeking His miraculous interposition without warrant. But here there was the warrant of the prophet of God; to have asked a sign, when thus offered, would not have been a tempting of God. Ahaz' true reason for declining was his resolve not to do God's will, but to negotiate with Assyria, and persevere in his idolatry (Kg2 16:7-8, Kg2 16:3-4, Kg2 16:10). Men often excuse their distrust in God, and trust in their own devices, by professed reverence for God. Ahaz may have fancied that though Jehovah was the God of Judea and could work a sign there, that was no proof that the local god of Syria might not be more powerful. Such was the common heathen notion (Isa 10:10-11; Isa 36:18-20). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
I will not ask - In this case Ahaz assumed the appearance of piety, or respect for the command of God. In Deu 6:16, it is written, 'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God;' and Ahaz perhaps had this command in his eye. It was a professed reverence for God. But the true reason why he did not seek this sign was, that he had already entered into a negotiation with the king of Assyria to come and defend him; and that he was even stripping the temple of God of its silver and gold, to secure this assistance; Kg2 16:7-8. When people are depending on their own devices and resources, they are unwilling to seek aid from God; and it is not uncommon if they excuse their want of trust in him by some appearance of respect for religion.
Tempt - Try, or do a thing that shall provoke his displeasure, or seek his interposition in a case where he has not promised it. To tempt God is the same as to put him to the proof; to see whether he is able to perform what he proposed. It is evident, however, that here there would have been no "temptation" of God, since a sign had been offered him by the prophet in the name of God. 'The answer of Ahaz can be regarded either as one of bitter scorn, as if he had said, "I will not put thy God to the proof, in which he will be found lacking. I will not embarrass thee by taking thee at thy word;" or as the language of a hypocrite who assumes the mask of reverence for God and his command.' - "Hengstenberg." Chrysostom and Calvin regard the latter as the correct interpretation. If it be asked here "why" Ahaz did not put Isaiah to the test, and "secure," if possible, the divine confirmation to the assurance that Jerusalem would be safe, the following may be regarded as the probable reasons:
(1) He was secretly relying on the aid of Assyria. He believed that he could fortify the city, and distress the enemy by turning away the supply of water, so that they could not carry on a siege, and that all the further aid which he needed could be derived from the Assyrians.
(2) If the miracle had been "really performed," it would have been a proof that Yahweh was the true God a proof which Ahaz had no desire of witnessing. He was a gross idolater; and he was not anxious to witness a demonstration which would have convinced him of the folly and sin of his own course of life.
(3) If the miracle could not be performed, as Ahaz seems to have supposed would be the case, then it would have done much to unsettle the confidence of the people, and to have produced agitation and alarm. It is probable that a considerable portion of the people were worshippers of Yahweh, and were looking to him for aid. The pious, and the great mass of those who conformed to the religion of their fathers, would have been totally disheartened; and this was a result which Ahaz had no desire to produce.
(4) Michaelis has suggested another reason, drawn from the character of idolatry. According to the prevailing notions at that period, every nation had its own gods. Those of one people were more, and those of another less powerful; see Isa 10:10-11; Isa 36:18-20; Isa 37:10-13. If a miracle had been performed, Ahaz might have believed that it was performed by the god of the country, who might have had the disposition, but not the power, to defend him. It would have been to the mind of the idolater no proof that the god of Syria or Samaria was not more powerful, and might not have easily overcome him. Ahaz seems to have regarded Yahweh as such a God - as one of the numerous gods which were to be worshipped, and perhaps as not the most powerful of the tutelary divinities of the nations. This was certainly the view of the surrounding idolaters Isa 10:10-11; Isa 36:18-20; and it is highly probable that this view prevailed among the idolatrous Israelites. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| I will not - By asking a sign, as if I questioned the truth of his word: but this was deep hypocrisy. |
18 Beware lest Hezekiah [02396] persuade [05496] you, saying [0559], The LORD [03068] will deliver [05337] us. Hath any [0376] of the gods [0430] of the nations [01471] delivered [05337] his land [0776] out of the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804]?
19 Where are the gods [0430] of Hamath [02574] and Arphad [0774]? where are the gods [0430] of Sepharvaim [05617]? and have they delivered [05337] Samaria [08111] out of my hand [03027]?
20 Who are they among all the gods [0430] of these lands [0776], that have delivered [05337] their land [0776] out of my hand [03027], that the LORD [03068] should deliver [05337] Jerusalem [03389] out of my hand [03027]?
10 As my hand [03027] hath found [04672] the kingdoms [04467] of the idols [0457], and whose graven images [06456] did excel them of Jerusalem [03389] and of Samaria [08111];
11 Shall I not, as I have done [06213] unto Samaria [08111] and her idols [0457], so do [06213] to Jerusalem [03389] and her idols [06091]?
10 And king [04428] Ahaz [0271] went [03212] to Damascus [01834] to meet [07125] Tiglathpileser [08407] king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and saw [07200] an altar [04196] that was at Damascus [01834]: and king [04428] Ahaz [0271] sent [07971] to Urijah [0223] the priest [03548] the fashion [01823] of the altar [04196], and the pattern [08403] of it, according to all the workmanship [04639] thereof.
3 But he walked [03212] in the way [01870] of the kings [04428] of Israel [03478], yea, and made his son [01121] to pass through [05674] the fire [0784], according to the abominations [08441] of the heathen [01471], whom the LORD [03068] cast out [03423] from before [06440] the children [01121] of Israel [03478].
4 And he sacrificed [02076] and burnt incense [06999] in the high places [01116], and on the hills [01389], and under every green [07488] tree [06086].
7 So Ahaz [0271] sent [07971] messengers [04397] to Tiglathpileser [08407] king [04428] of Assyria [0804], saying [0559], I am thy servant [05650] and thy son [01121]: come up [05927], and save [03467] me out of the hand [03709] of the king [04428] of Syria [0758], and out of the hand [03709] of the king [04428] of Israel [03478], which rise up [06965] against me.
8 And Ahaz [0271] took [03947] the silver [03701] and gold [02091] that was found [04672] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and in the treasures [0214] of the king's [04428] house [01004], and sent [07971] it for a present [07810] to the king [04428] of Assyria [0804].
7 Jesus [2424] said [5346] unto him [846], It is written [1125] again [3825], Thou shalt [1598] not [3756] tempt [1598] the Lord [2962] thy [4675] God [2316].
16 Ye shall not tempt [05254] the LORD [03068] your God [0430], as ye tempted [05254] him in Massah [04532].
18 Beware lest Hezekiah [02396] persuade [05496] you, saying [0559], The LORD [03068] will deliver [05337] us. Hath any [0376] of the gods [0430] of the nations [01471] delivered [05337] his land [0776] out of the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804]?
19 Where are the gods [0430] of Hamath [02574] and Arphad [0774]? where are the gods [0430] of Sepharvaim [05617]? and have they delivered [05337] Samaria [08111] out of my hand [03027]?
20 Who are they among all the gods [0430] of these lands [0776], that have delivered [05337] their land [0776] out of my hand [03027], that the LORD [03068] should deliver [05337] Jerusalem [03389] out of my hand [03027]?
10 As my hand [03027] hath found [04672] the kingdoms [04467] of the idols [0457], and whose graven images [06456] did excel them of Jerusalem [03389] and of Samaria [08111];
11 Shall I not, as I have done [06213] unto Samaria [08111] and her idols [0457], so do [06213] to Jerusalem [03389] and her idols [06091]?
10 Thus shall ye speak [0559] to Hezekiah [02396] king [04428] of Judah [03063], saying [0559], Let not thy God [0430], in whom thou trustest [0982], deceive [05377] thee, saying [0559], Jerusalem [03389] shall not be given [05414] into the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804].
11 Behold, thou hast heard [08085] what the kings [04428] of Assyria [0804] have done [06213] to all lands [0776] by destroying them utterly [02763]; and shalt thou be delivered [05337]?
12 Have the gods [0430] of the nations [01471] delivered [05337] them which my fathers [01] have destroyed [07843], as Gozan [01470], and Haran [02771], and Rezeph [07530], and the children [01121] of Eden [05729] which were in Telassar [08515]?
13 Where is the king [04428] of Hamath [02574], and the king [04428] of Arphad [0774], and the king [04428] of the city [05892] of Sepharvaim [05617], Hena [02012], and Ivah [05755]?
18 Beware lest Hezekiah [02396] persuade [05496] you, saying [0559], The LORD [03068] will deliver [05337] us. Hath any [0376] of the gods [0430] of the nations [01471] delivered [05337] his land [0776] out of the hand [03027] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804]?
19 Where are the gods [0430] of Hamath [02574] and Arphad [0774]? where are the gods [0430] of Sepharvaim [05617]? and have they delivered [05337] Samaria [08111] out of my hand [03027]?
20 Who are they among all the gods [0430] of these lands [0776], that have delivered [05337] their land [0776] out of my hand [03027], that the LORD [03068] should deliver [05337] Jerusalem [03389] out of my hand [03027]?
10 As my hand [03027] hath found [04672] the kingdoms [04467] of the idols [0457], and whose graven images [06456] did excel them of Jerusalem [03389] and of Samaria [08111];
11 Shall I not, as I have done [06213] unto Samaria [08111] and her idols [0457], so do [06213] to Jerusalem [03389] and her idols [06091]?
7 So Ahaz [0271] sent [07971] messengers [04397] to Tiglathpileser [08407] king [04428] of Assyria [0804], saying [0559], I am thy servant [05650] and thy son [01121]: come up [05927], and save [03467] me out of the hand [03709] of the king [04428] of Syria [0758], and out of the hand [03709] of the king [04428] of Israel [03478], which rise up [06965] against me.
8 And Ahaz [0271] took [03947] the silver [03701] and gold [02091] that was found [04672] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and in the treasures [0214] of the king's [04428] house [01004], and sent [07971] it for a present [07810] to the king [04428] of Assyria [0804].
16 Ye shall not tempt [05254] the LORD [03068] your God [0430], as ye tempted [05254] him in Massah [04532].