Isaiah 7 15

Isaiah 7:15 kjv

Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:15 nkjv

Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:15 niv

He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,

Isaiah 7:15 esv

He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:15 nlt

By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey.

Isaiah 7 verses

Isaiah 7 15 meaning

Isaiah 7:15 describes the dietary provisions and moral development of the child, known as Immanuel from the preceding verse. The child will subsist on "curds and honey," foods characteristic of a pastoral economy rather than agricultural farming. This indicates that the land of Judah will have undergone significant disruption, likely due to invasion, rendering it fit only for grazing and foraging, yet still providing sustenance. Crucially, the verse connects this state of affairs to the child's coming of age, specifically "when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good." This timeframe signals the moral awakening of the child, by which point the conditions foretold—including the removal of Judah's immediate enemies (as per v. 16)—will have manifested, bringing about both judgment and God's provision.

Isaiah 7 15 Context

Isaiah 7:15 is situated within the "Book of Immanuel" (chapters 7-12), a crucial section of Isaiah that unfolds during the Syro-Ephraimite War (around 734-732 BC). King Ahaz of Judah faced a grave threat from a coalition of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim), who sought to depose him and install a puppet king. Terror-stricken, Ahaz considered appealing to Assyria for help, which would mean placing Judah under a foreign superpower rather than trusting God.

In response, the prophet Isaiah confronted Ahaz, urging him to have faith in Yahweh. As a sign of God's steadfastness and his promise to protect Jerusalem, Isaiah first proclaimed that the two enemy kings would fail (v. 4-7). When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign (out of false piety or pride, v. 10-12), God, through Isaiah, proactively offered one: the birth of a child named Immanuel (Isa 7:14). Verse 15 then elaborates on the immediate circumstances surrounding this child. While the exact identity of the child for the immediate context (Hezekiah, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, or another unnamed child) has been debated by scholars, the passage clearly points to the broader Messianic fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This verse connects the child's development with the dramatic historical changes sweeping across Judah and its neighbors, setting a timeline for the judgment of Ahaz's enemies and the altered landscape of Judah itself due to Assyrian intervention.

Isaiah 7 15 Word analysis

• He shall eat (יֹאכַל yōʾḵal): A simple future tense verb, indicating certainty of action. This points to the destiny of the child mentioned in the preceding verse (Immanuel).

• Curds (חֶמְאָה ḥemʾāh): Refers to thickened milk, butter, or yogurt. In the ancient Near East, "curds" often symbolized richness and agricultural abundance. However, in this specific context following verses about land devastation by foreign armies (e.g., Isa 7:18-25), it represents the food source from a pastoral economy, where agricultural fields are destroyed, and only grazing animals survive, along with their dairy products. It implies a stripped-down, yet still provided for, existence, in contrast to the grain-based farming of a developed nation.

• And honey (וּדְבַשׁ u-devaš): Naturally occurring honey, often wild. Like curds, it speaks of provision, but again, from an untouched or wild landscape rather than cultivated crops. Paired with curds, it forms an image of natural abundance that can be gathered even in a land that has suffered agricultural devastation, symbolizing survival through divine provision despite hardship and judgment. It is both a blessing of provision and a sign of economic regression.

• When he knows how to refuse (בְּדַעְתּוֹ מָאוֹס bədāʿtōʾ māʾōs): "At his knowing to refuse." This phrase marks a critical stage of the child's development, denoting the capacity for moral discernment and personal decision-making, often associated with reaching an age of reason or adolescence (roughly 10-15 years old). It is not just about factual knowledge but ethical choice. This temporal marker is key to the prophecy, establishing a timeframe.

• The evil (לָרָע lārāʿ): "The bad" or "the wicked." Refers to that which is morally wrong, harmful, or destructive. The ability to reject ra' is a sign of ethical maturity and a sound moral compass.

• And choose (וּבְחֹר û-bəḥōr): "And to choose" or "to prefer." Indicates an act of deliberate selection, a conscious decision-making process.

• The good (בַּטּוֹב baṭṭōv): "The good" or "the beneficial." Refers to that which is morally right, beneficial, or in line with God's will. The ability to choose ṭōv is the counterpoint to rejecting evil and completes the picture of moral competence.

• "Curds and honey": This phrase, typically associated with the "land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex 3:8), usually evokes a bountiful and prosperous land. However, in the context of the Assyrian invasion detailed in the following verses (Isa 7:17-25), this specific dietary mention suggests an ironic twist. It signals a shift from a cultivated agricultural economy to a basic pastoral one. Fields, vineyards, and orchards would be laid waste, allowing only wild animals to graze and forage, thus providing curds from their milk and wild honey. Therefore, it is a sign of desolation and hardship, yet simultaneously a promise of bare sustenance and survival.

• "When he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good": This phrase signifies the attainment of moral maturity and intellectual discernment. It denotes a coming of age where the individual is capable of ethical choices. In the immediate prophetic context (Isa 7:16), it serves as a prophetic timeline for the downfall of Judah's enemies. The phrase draws from foundational biblical themes about human free will and responsibility, echoing the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis. For Immanuel, it represents a period of growing up, developing in wisdom and moral character, by which time significant events in the national history will have unfolded.

Isaiah 7 15 Bonus section

The seemingly simple phrase "curds and honey" embodies a profound biblical paradox within this context. In its primary usage (e.g., Ex 3:8; Deut 6:3), "milk and honey" symbolized the ultimate blessing and prosperity of the Promised Land, a covenantal reward. Here in Isaiah 7:15, however, the very same items denote a transformed landscape, likely ravaged by war. The destruction of fields and vineyards by invading armies (foretold in subsequent verses like 7:23-25) would make agriculture impossible, leading the survivors to rely on the most basic forms of sustenance: the dairy from herds left to graze wildly and the honey gathered from untouched nature. This highlights the double-edged nature of prophecy: the promised blessing of sustenance can ironically manifest within the curse of desolation.

Furthermore, the timing element—"when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good"—is deeply linked to human development and moral choice. This concept is fundamental to biblical anthropology, emphasizing the period in a child's life where innocent ignorance gives way to personal moral responsibility. It echoes God's creation account where humanity was presented with choices (Gen 2:17, 3:22). For the Messianic understanding, this points to Jesus' growth in wisdom and stature (Lk 2:52) and his perfect embodiment of discerning and choosing God's will above all else, in stark contrast to Ahaz's own choices of unbelief and alliance with foreign powers.

Isaiah 7 15 Commentary

Isaiah 7:15 serves as a critical juncture in the Immanuel prophecy, expanding on the circumstances surrounding the child announced in verse 14. This verse reveals two major insights: the child's sustenance and his moral development. The diet of "curds and honey" initially sounds idyllic, harkening back to the imagery of the promised land's abundance. However, within the grim reality of the Syro-Ephraimite War and the impending Assyrian invasion, this diet points to an ironic shift. It implies a land stripped bare of its developed agriculture, reverting to a primitive, pastoral state where fields are left to grow weeds, animals graze freely, and wild honey can be found. This signifies judgment and desolation, but importantly, also God's continued provision, ensuring survival even amidst destruction.

The second part, "when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good," functions as a timeline marker. This refers to the child reaching an age of moral discernment, usually between childhood and adolescence. This means that by the time this child has matured to make ethical decisions, significant historical events will have occurred. As explicitly stated in verse 16, Ahaz's enemies—Syria and Israel—will be defeated before this child reaches that age of discernment, thus reassuring Judah of immediate deliverance. However, the subsequent desolation, indicated by the diet, suggests a later, more severe judgment brought by Assyria upon Judah itself.

Thus, Isaiah 7:15, while seeming straightforward, contains layers of meaning: it is a promise of sustenance amidst desolation, a chronological indicator of political upheaval, and a reminder of humanity's journey towards moral accountability. In its ultimate messianic fulfillment, this child is Jesus, who perfectly embodied the refusal of evil and the choice of good (Heb 4:15), living out perfect righteousness while also sustaining humanity both physically and spiritually. The imagery of humble sustenance could also prefigure Christ's humble earthly beginnings and dependence on God's provision (Lk 2:7, Matt 4:4).