Isa 7:9 | TNotes | STEP | 7:9 The last sentence is a play on two Hebrew words: If you do not have faith ( ta’aminu ), you will not stand firm ( te’amenu ). Firm trust in the Lord is utterly essential, especially for a leader of God’s people (see also 2 Chr 20:20 ), and it must be firmly acted upon in order to demonstrate that it exists. Ahaz and his contemporaries trusted their enemy (Assyria) rather than God. By contrast, Hezekiah later demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a similar context (see Isa 36

b2 Chr 20:20►

cIsa 36–38►

‏ Isaiah 7:9

7:9 ^a The last sentence is a play on two Hebrew words: If you do not have faith (ta’aminu), you will not stand firm (te’amenu). Firm trust in the Lord is utterly essential, especially for a leader of God’s people (see also 2 Chr 20:20 ^b), and it must be firmly acted upon in order to demonstrate that it exists. Ahaz and his contemporaries trusted their enemy (Assyria) rather than God. By contrast, Hezekiah later demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a similar context (see Isa 36–38 ^c).