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Isaiah 7 · a question people ask

When Ahaz said, "I won’t tempt the LORD" (7:12), wasn't he keeping the law?

In the text

His words are the law's own verb. The law says, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah" (Deuteronomy 6:16), and Ahaz says, "I won’t ask. I won’t tempt the LORD" (Isaiah 7:12); in Hebrew tempt is nasah in both (tap tempt). But here the LORD himself had spoken first: "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above" (7:11). The answer to Ahaz's words was, "Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also?" (7:13), where try the patience is another verb, la'ah (tap try the patience). The chapter doesn't say what was in Ahaz's heart or why he wouldn't ask. It sets down what the LORD said, what Ahaz said, and the answer. The notes on Deuteronomy 6 take up testing the LORD at Massah.

The verses

“You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah.”
Deuteronomy 6:16 · World English Bible
““Ask a sign of the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I won’t ask. I won’t tempt the LORD.” He said, “Listen now, house of David. Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also?”
Isaiah 7:11-13 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7: Ask a sign

The LORD told Ahaz to ask a sign "either in the depth, or in the height above" (7:11). He wouldn't, and the answer was that "the Lord himself will give you a sign": Immanuel (7:14), words Matthew says were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:22-23). And the place the LORD sent Isaiah to meet Ahaz (7:3) is where, in chapter 36, Rabshakeh stood (36:2).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions