And Achaz said: I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָחָ֑ז לֹא־אֶשְׁאַ֥ל וְלֹֽא־אֲנַסֶּ֖ה אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The prophet declared, “Ask for a sign,” yet the king, feigning true faith, responded, “I will not ask nor tempt the Lord.” Observe how decisively the prophet confronts him, delivering a stern reprimand upon uncovering his insincerity.
Ahaz, as noted in verse 11, refuses to ask for a sign, not out of reverence for God, but rather out of disdain for Him. Despite his discontent, he speaks with feigned reverence, declaring, "I will not ask; I will test the Lord." By rejecting God's command to seek a sign, he disguises his refusal as an effort not to provoke God, citing the commandment, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 6:16). Yet, how can we not strongly condemn Ahaz's cleverness?
When God Himself allows the inquiry, it surely would be better to follow His directive than to resort to deceptions and to use such a trivial pretext for defiance: "I will not test the Lord." His true intention, however, was to reject divine counsel and instead to elevate the lies of false prophecies, turning to the behavior of birds and seeking assistance from demonic forces.
The blessing from God is immense, abundant, and generous. Yet Ahaz, lacking the wisdom to seek the extraordinary and divine, declined to request a sign, believing it to be beyond human capability or interpreting it as a violation of the command that states, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Nevertheless, such an astonishing message was conveyed to the reigning king, as it was essential for the prophecy to be revealed to all through him. Isaiah, possibly due to the jealousy of his peers or the humility evident in his life, encountered disbelief, as if he had not received a divine revelation but had contrived the message from his own mind.
In contrast, Ahaz received the foretelling of future events, similar to Laban, Abimelech, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and ultimately Caiaphas, not due to the virtue of his character, but because his position rendered him a credible witness. Ahaz’s refusal to ask for a sign was not borne from genuine piety. Had it not been beneficial to him, God would not have instructed him to inquire from the outset.
Ahaz declined to seek a sign, citing a desire to adhere to the directive of the Lord, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 6:16). However, this rationale merely veiled Ahaz's insincerity. His refusal stemmed not from a place of genuine humility, but rather from his disbelief in God’s assistance, as he sought support from men instead. At this juncture, he opted to send an envoy to Theglaphelassar, the king of Assyria, carrying gifts and a degrading plea for an alliance and aid against the rulers of Israel and Syria (4 Kings 16:7). This marked a misguided decision that led to the calamitous involvement of the Assyrians and Babylonians in the affairs of Judah. The hope of mortal assistance obscured Ahaz’s judgment to such an extent that he felt no shame in spurning Divine aid, nor did he consider the option of confirming it through the sign that was presented to him.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS