The Meaning of Isaiah 7:3 Explained

Isaiah 7:3

KJV: Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Isaiah, 'Go forth, I pray thee, to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-Jashub thy son, unto the end of the conduit of the upper pool, unto the highway of the fuller's field,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Isaiah, Go out now to meet Ahaz, thou and thy son Shear-jashub, at the end of the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field;

ASV: Then said Jehovah unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then said  the LORD  unto Isaiah,  Go forth  now to meet  Ahaz,  thou, and Shearjashub  thy son,  at the end  of the conduit  of the upper  pool  in the highway  of the fuller's  field; 

What does Isaiah 7:3 Mean?

Study Notes

Shearjashub
Meaning, a remnant shall return. Isaiah 8:3 .

Verse Meaning

God instructed Isaiah to take his son Shearjashub ("a remnant shall return;" cf. Isaiah 6:13) and meet Ahaz at a strategic water source for Jerusalem, which Ahaz was apparently examining. The location of this pool is uncertain, but it was a reservoir for Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 36:2), perhaps near the Gihon Spring in the Kidron Valley. [1] A vulnerable above-ground aqueduct brought water from it into the city. The fuller"s field was a place where people washed clothes, fuller being another name for launderer.
Shearjashub"s presence may have been designed to encourage Ahaz to believe that his enemy would not destroy Judah completely, even though they had already defeated him previously (cf. Isaiah 7:4). Still, the mention of only a remnant returning was sobering. This was the very spot on which Sennacherib"s field commander later stood to hurl insults at Hezekiah ( Isaiah 36:2), the fulfillment of Isaiah"s prediction of an Assyrian attack.

Context Summary

Isaiah 7:1-17 - The Sign Of Immanuel
A new cycle of prophecy begins here, covering the reign of Ahaz. The complete history which illustrates these chapters is given in 2 Chronicles 28:5. The invasion of Judah by Syria and Samaria was permitted because a severe warning was needed to enforce Isaiah's remonstrances and appeals. See 2 Kings 15:37. The Holy City, as Isaiah predicted, was not to be trodden by the invader, though it would pass through severe suffering and anxiety. This immunity, which neither Ahaz nor his people deserved, was secured by Isaiah's faith and prayer, pleading as he did, God's ancient covenant.
This great prophecy of the coming Immanuel must have greatly encouraged that generation, as it has all succeeding ones. It inspired Psalms 46:1-11. What greater comfort have we than that Jesus is the companion of our pilgrimage? See Matthew 1:21-23. Though the corn-lands were desolate, the cattle on the mountain-pastures would yield butter and the wild bees honey; and this would supply the nation's needs till the invader had withdrawn. Though God chastens us, He will not forget our daily bread. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 7

1  Ahaz, being troubled with fear of Rezin and Pekah, is comforted by Isaiah
10  Ahaz, having liberty to choose a sign, and refusing it, has for a sign, Christ promised
17  His judgment is prophesied to come by Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 7:3 mean?

And said Yahweh to Isaiah go out now to meet Ahaz you and Shear-jashub your son at the end of the aqueduct from the pool upper on the highway to the Field of Fuller
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָה֮ אֶֽל־ יְשַׁעְיָהוּ֒ צֵא־ נָא֙ לִקְרַ֣את אָחָ֔ז אַתָּ֕ה וּשְׁאָ֖ר יָשׁ֣וּב בְּנֶ֑ךָ אֶל־ קְצֵ֗ה תְּעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה אֶל־ מְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כוֹבֵֽס

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יְשַׁעְיָהוּ֒  Isaiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְשַׁעְיָה 
Sense: the major prophet, son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the days of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah; author of the prophetic book by his name; tradition has it that he was sawn asunder in the trunk of a carob tree by king Manasseh and that this is the incident referred to in Heb :37.
צֵא־  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
לִקְרַ֣את  to  meet 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
אָחָ֔ז  Ahaz 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָחָז  
Sense: king of Judah, son Jotham, father of Hezekiah.
יָשׁ֣וּב  Shear-jashub 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב  
Sense: a symbolical name for the son of Isaiah the prophet.
בְּנֶ֑ךָ  your  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
קְצֵ֗ה  the  end 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
תְּעָלַת֙  of  the  aqueduct  from 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּעָלָה 
Sense: conduit, water course, trench.
הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה  the  pool 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרֵכָה  
Sense: pool, pond.
הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה  upper 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: עֶלְיׄון 
Sense: high, upper.
מְסִלַּ֖ת  the  highway  to 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְסִלָּה  
Sense: highway, raised way, public road.
שְׂדֵ֥ה  the  Field 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
כוֹבֵֽס  of  Fuller 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כָּבַס  
Sense: to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller.