The counsel of these kings was evil, because, in opposition to God's appointment of the royal house of David, and His promises thereto (particularly of Messiah, the Prince, to spring from thence), their compact was, probably, like Eastern conquerors, to destroy the house of David; certainly, to remove the house of David from the throne, and to fix in the holy city a heathen king. The prophet, having declared to Ahaz that the scheme of the confederates should be frustrated, bids him, at the command of God, ask some sign or miracle, either in heaven or on earth. "But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt Jehovah." The king's disobedience, however coloured over with a specious piety in his allusion to a text of Scripture, appears from the next words of the prophet to have been highly censurable. And it probably proceeded from his distrust either of the power or the favour of Jehovah, after Judæa had suffered so much from these same enemies who worshipped other gods. Thus repulsed by the king, the prophet addresses himself at large to "the house of David;" and probably there were then present other persons of the royal family. "Hear ye now, O house of David," &c. The word _"Therefore"_ (ver. 14) may, upon good authority, be translated _"nevertheless,"_ a sense very applicable to this place. A sign or miracle hath been now offered at the command of God, but is refused; and can _you_ think it of little moment to treat with such contempt both the prophet and his God? "_Nevertheless,_ the Lord Himself will give to _you_ the sign following: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and call His name IMMANUEL. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." Here, I presume, ends this first prophecy, and the meaning may be stated thus: "Fear not, O house of David, the fate threatened you. God is mindful of His promise to your father, and will fulfil it in a very wonderful manner. Behold, a virgin (rather, THE virgin, the only one thus circumstanced) shall conceive, and bear a son; which son shall therefore be what no other has been or shall be, the seed of the woman, here styled THE VIRGIN; and this son 'shall be called' (_i.e.,_ in Scripture language, _He shall be_) IMMANUEL, God with us. But this great Person, this GOD visible amongst men, introduced into the world thus, in a manner that is without example, shall yet be truly _Man:_ He shall be born an infant, and as an infant shall He be brought up; for 'butter and honey' (rather, milk and honey) shall He eat,--He shall be fed with the common food of infants, which in the East was milk mixed with honey, till He shall know (_not_ that He _may_ know, as if such food were to be the cause of such knowledge, but _till_ He shall grow up to know) how to refuse the evil and choose the good."