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Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

Literal Standard Version

Isaiah 7:11

"Ask for a sign from your God YHWH, || Make the request deep, or make [it] high upwards."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Isaiah;   Pekah;   Syria;   Scofield Reference Index - Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ephraim, Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahaz;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Immanuel;   Miracles;   Virgin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Magic;   Sheol;   Temptation, Test;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Immanuel;   Pekah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hell;   Immanuel;   Miracles, Signs, Wonders;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Alliance;   Aram, Aramaeans;   Damascus;   Immanuel;   Isaiah, Book of;   Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Messiah;   Rezin;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Immanuel;   Messiah;   Pekah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ahaz;   Decease, in the Old Testament and Apocyphra;   Hades;   Messiah;   Prophecy;   Sign;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Damascus;   Sheol;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Ask for a sign from the Lord your God—it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.”
Hebrew Names Version
Ask a sign of the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
King James Version
Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
English Standard Version
"Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."
New American Standard Bible
"Ask for a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven."
New Century Version
"Ask for a sign from the Lord your God to prove to yourself that these things are true. It may be a sign from as deep as the place of the dead or as high as the heavens."
Amplified Bible
"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God [one that will convince you that God has spoken and will keep His word]; make your request as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven."
World English Bible
Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Aske a signe for thee of the Lorde thy God: aske it, either in the depth beneath or in the height aboue.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Ask a sign for yourself from Yahweh your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven."
Berean Standard Bible
"Ask for a sign from the LORD your God, whether from the depths of Sheol or the heights of heaven."
Contemporary English Version
"Ask me for proof that my promise will come true. Ask for something to happen deep in the world of the dead or high in the heavens above."
Complete Jewish Bible
"Ask Adonai your God to give you a sign. Ask it anywhere, from the depths of Sh'ol to the heights above."
Darby Translation
Ask for thee a sign from Jehovah thy God; ask for it in the deep, or in the height above.
Easy-to-Read Version
and said, "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God to prove to yourself that this is true. You can ask for any sign you want. The sign can come from a place as deep as Sheol or as high as the skies."
George Lamsa Translation
Ask for yourself a sign of the LORD your God; ask something in the depth, or in the height above.
Good News Translation
"Ask the Lord your God to give you a sign. It can be from deep in the world of the dead or from high up in heaven."
Lexham English Bible
"Ask for a sign for yourself from Yahweh God; make it deep as Sheol or make it high as above."
Literal Translation
Ask a sign from Jehovah your God; make deep the request, or make it high above.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
requyre a token of the LORDE thy God, whether it be towarde the depth beneth or towarde ye hight aboue.
American Standard Version
Ask thee a sign of Jehovah thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
Bible in Basic English
Make a request to the Lord your God for a sign, a sign in the deep places of the underworld, or in the high heavens.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.'
King James Version (1611)
Aske thee a signe of the Lord thy God; aske it either in the depth, or in the height aboue.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Require to thy selfe a token of the Lorde thy God, whether it be towarde the depth beneath, or toward the height aboue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Ask for thyself a sign of the Lord thy God, in the depth or in the height.
English Revised Version
Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide, Axe thou to thee a signe of thi Lord God, in to the depthe of helle, ethir in to heiythe aboue.
Update Bible Version
Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
Webster's Bible Translation
Ask thee a sign from the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the hight above.
New English Translation
"Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous."
New King James Version
"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above."
New Living Translation
"Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead."
New Life Bible
"Ask for something special to see from the Lord your God. Ask for it to be as deep as the place of the dead or as high as heaven."
New Revised Standard
Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ask thee a sign, of Yahweh thy God, - Go down deep for a request, Or ascend on high!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above.
Revised Standard Version
"Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."
Young's Literal Translation
`Ask for thee a sign from Jehovah thy God, Make deep the request, or make [it] high upwards.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven."

Contextual Overview

10And YHWH adds to speak to Ahaz, saying, 11"Ask for a sign from your God YHWH, || Make the request deep, or make [it] high upwards."12And Ahaz says, "I do not ask nor try YHWH." 13And he says, "Now hear, O house of David, || Is it a little thing for you to weary men, || That you also weary my God? 14Therefore the Lord Himself gives a sign to you, || Behold, the virgin is conceiving, || And is bringing forth a Son, || And has called His Name Immanuel, 15He eats butter and honey, || When He knows to refuse evil, and to fix on good. 16For before the youth knows || To refuse evil, and to fix on good, || The land you are distressed with is forsaken, because of her two kings.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a sign: Isaiah 37:30, Isaiah 38:7, Isaiah 38:8, Isaiah 38:22, Judges 6:36-40, 2 Kings 20:8-11, Jeremiah 19:1, Jeremiah 19:10, Jeremiah 51:63, Jeremiah 51:64, Matthew 12:38-40, Matthew 16:1-4

ask it either in the depth: or, make thy petition deep

Reciprocal: Genesis 15:8 - General Genesis 24:14 - thereby Exodus 7:9 - Show Judges 6:17 - show 1 Samuel 14:10 - this shall be a sign 1 Kings 13:3 - General 2 Kings 19:29 - a sign Proverbs 25:3 - heaven John 6:30 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 1:7
And God makes the expanse, and it separates between the waters which [are] under the expanse, and the waters which [are] above the expanse: and it is so.
Genesis 6:17
And I, behold, I am bringing in the flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under the heavens all flesh in which [is] a living spirit; all that [is] in the earth expires.
Genesis 7:5
And Noah does according to all that YHWH has commanded him.
Genesis 7:6
And Noah [is] a son of six hundred years, and the flood of waters has been on the earth.
Genesis 7:8
from the clean beast, and from the beast that [is] not clean, and from the bird, and of everything that is creeping on the ground,
Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of the life of Noah, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on this day all [the] fountains of the great deep have been broken up, and the network of the heavens has been opened,
Genesis 7:23
And all the substance that is on the face of the ground is wiped away—from man to beast, to creeping thing, and to bird of the heavens; indeed, they are wiped away from the earth, and only Noah is left, and those who [are] with him in the ark;
Genesis 7:24
and the waters are mighty on the earth [for] one hundred and fifty days.
2 Kings 7:2
And the captain whom the king has, by whose hand he has been supported, answers the man of God and says, "Behold, YHWH is making windows in the heavens—will this thing be?" And he says, "Behold, you are seeing it with your eyes, and you do not eat thereof."
2 Kings 7:19
and the captain answers the man of God and says, "And behold, YHWH is making windows in the heavens—will this thing be?" And he says, "Behold, you are seeing it with your eyes, and you do not eat thereof";

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God,.... For though Ahaz was a wicked man, yet the Lord was his God, as he was the God of the people of Israel in general, as a nation; and knowing his unbelief and diffidence of his word unto him, offers to confirm it by a sign or miracle:

ask it either in the depth, or in the height above, in earth, or in heaven: so the Targum,

"ask that a miracle may be done for thee upon earth, or that a sign may be shown thee in heaven;''

either that the earth might gape and open its mouth, as in the days of Moses; or that the sun might stand still, as in the times of Joshua; or that a dead man might be raised out of the depth of the earth; or that there might be some strange appearances in the heavens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ask thee - Ask for “thyself;” ask a sign that shall be convincing to “thyself,” since thou dost not fully credit the words of the prophet. It is evident that the words of the prophet had made no impression on the mind of Ahaz. God, therefore, proposes to him to ask any “proof or demonstration” which he might select; anything that would be an indication of divine power that should put what the prophet had said beyond doubt. Had Ahaz put confidence in God, he would have believed what the prophet said without miraculous proof. But he had no such confidence. ‘The prophet, therefore, proposes that he should ask any miraculous demonstration that what he said would come to pass. This proposition was made, probably, not so much from respect to Ahaz as to leave him without excuse, and in order that “the people” might have the assurance that the city and kingdom were safe.

A sign - A demonstration that shall confirm the promise now made, and that shall be an evidence that Jerusalem shall be safe. The word used here, and translated “sign” - ‘owt - אות 'ôth - means “a flag,” or “a standard,” Numbers 2:2; “a memorial or pledge” of a covenant, Genesis 17:11; any “pledge, token, or proof” of a divine mission, Judges 6:17; or a miracle performed in attestation of a divine promise or message. This is its sense here. That which Isaiah had spoken seemed highly improbable to Ahaz, and he asked him to seek a proof of it, if he doubted, by any prodigy or miracle. It was customary for miracles or prodigies to be exhibited on similar occasions; see Isaiah 38:7, where the shadow on the dial of this same Ahaz was carried backward ten degrees, in proof of what the prophet Isaiah had spoken; compare 1 Samuel 2:27-34; 1 Kings 13:1-3; Exodus 3:12; Judges 6:36-40. That the word here refers to some event which could be brought about only by divine power, is evident from the whole connection. No mere natural occurrence could have satisfied Ahaz, or convey to the people a demonstration of the truth of what the prophet was saying. And if the prophet had been unable or unwilling to give a miraculous sign, where is the fitness of the answer of Ahaz? How could he be regarded as in any way tempting God by asking it, unless it was something which God only could do? And how could the prophet bring the charge Isaiah 7:13, that he had not merely offended men, but God also? It is clear, therefore, that Isaiah was conscious that he was invested by God with the power of working a miracle, and that he proposed to perform any miracle which Ahaz should suggest that would serve to remove his doubts, and lead him to put confidence in God.

Ask it either in the depth ... - He gave him his choice of a miracle - any sign or wonder in heaven, or on earth - above or below; a miracle in the sky, or from beneath the earth. Many of the versions understand the expression ‘the depth,’ as referring to “the grave,” or to the region of departed souls - “hades.” So the Vulgate, Aquila, Symmachus. The Chaldee reads it, ‘Seek that there may be a miracle to thee upon the earth, or a sign in the heavens.’ The literal meaning of the Hebrew is, ‘make low, ask for;’ that is, ask for a sign below; obtain, by asking for thyself; a miracle that shall take place below. It may refer to the earth, or to the region under the earth, since it stands in contrast with that which is above. If it refers to the region under the earth, it means that Isaiah would raise the dead to life if Ahaz desired it; if to the earth, that any wonder or miracle that should take place in the elements - as a tempest, or earthquake - should be performed.

The height above - The heaven, or the sky. So the Pharisees desired to see a sign from heaven, Matthew 16:1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 7:11. In the depth - "Go deep to the grave"] So Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Vulgate.


 
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