The Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:12

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. Ahaz, who has no wish for a sign, because he has no wish to believe in any other salvation than flint which will follow from the realization of his own schemes, finds a plausible reason for declining to ask for one in those passages of the Law which forbade men to" tempt God" (Exodus 17:7; Deuteronomy 6:16).

But it could not be "tempt-tug God" to comply with a Divine invitation; rather it was tempting him to refuse compliance.

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commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:1-25SECTION IV. PROPHECIES CONNECTED WITH THE SYRO-ISRAELITE WAR (Isaiah 7-10:4). EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryMatthew Henry on Isaiah 7:10-16Secret disaffection to God is often disguised with the colour of respect to him; and those who are resolved that they will not trust God, yet pretend they will not tempt him. The prophet reproved Ahaz and his court, for…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Promise of Immanuel. (b. c. 740.)THE PROMISE OF IMMANUEL. (B. C. 740.) Here, I. God, by the prophet, makes a gracious offer to Ahaz, to confirm the foregoing predictions, and his faith in them, by such sign or miracle as he should choose (Isaiah 7:10-1…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:10-13Sin and duty in regard to signs. The passage is interesting for this among other reasons, that Ahaz is charged with guilt for declining that course the resort to which became the national sin (1 Corinthians 1:22), and f…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:10-16THE SIGN OF IMMANUEL. The supposition that there was a considerable interval between Isaiah 7:9 and Isaiah 7:10 (Cheyne) is quite gratuitous. Nothing in the text marks any such interval. God had sent Ahaz one message by…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:10-17Faith triumphing over doubt. Faith in the Eternal personified in the prophet, to whom all things desirable are to be hoped for, all things to be hoped for are possible; and distrust, the weakness of mere flesh and blood…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:11-14Rightful and wrongful asking for signs. To ask for a sign is sometimes spoken of in Scripture as indicative of want of faith, and therefore as an offence to God: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign"…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 7:12True and false humility. We are to understand that Ahaz had already made up his mind to resort to Assyria for help; probably he had even already sent his ambassadors to Tiglath-Pileser, and he would not be deterred from…Joseph S. Exell and contributors