Isaiah 7:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He discloses the motives behind their siege of the city, the discussions they held among themselves, the conditions under which they acted, and indicates that this situation was either a treachery ('having spoken with them, he says, I turn away from us') or that their foes were driven by overwhelming arrogance, believing they could seize the city without need of weapons, struggle, or warfare. They presumed that merely showing up and speaking would suffice, allowing them to depart with all as captives. Subsequently, as often happens with the arrogant, they, inflated by such expectations, proceeded to deliberate on the rise of a king, as if they had already conquered the city and it was necessary to appoint a ruler for the capital.

The son of Aramel and the son of Romelius devised a malevolent plot against you, saying, “Let us ascend into Judah, and once we have spoken with them, let us sway them to our side and establish the son of Taveil as king over them.” But the Lord of hosts declares that this counsel shall not prevail nor come to pass. He does not permit Ahaz to dismiss the reality of the treacherous schemes directed at him, nor does He allow him to succumb to fear. Instead, acknowledging the truth of the conspiracies orchestrated by the two kings, He assures him of His support, transforming him into one who is steadfast in faith rather than entangled in idolatrous practices or influenced by the words of false prophets, who speak abundantly yet devoid of truth.

See Isaiah 7:1. This can be interpreted as if implying: 'Engaging with what exists in Judah, which represents the soul that confesses (for Judah symbolizes the acknowledgment of God), let us divert this into our own favor through reasonable discourse, proposing not another ruler, but the son of Taveil, signifying the Son of the Good God. Although they refer to Him as the Son of the Good God, they do not recognize the Good Himself, misusing the Gospel passage: "What good is my word? No one is good except God alone," (Luke 18:19). Therefore, whenever you witness outsiders offering knowledge, promoting secular wisdom, and challenging the Church, understand that even now the son of Aramel and the son of Romelius are advising the adversary.

The schemes devised by the coalition of adversaries against the king of Judah and his kingdom will ultimately fail. This marks the second segment of the passage evident in these three verses, while the first segment unveils the nature of their malicious intent—the plan put forth by the son of Aramel, known as Racinus, king of Syria, and the son of Romelius, referred to as Phakeh, king of Israel. The Lord spoke to Ahaz, revealing that they plotted evil against you, meaning they gathered in assembly to conspire against Ahaz. They declared, "Let us ascend to Judah, and through dealings with them, persuade them to turn back toward us." This indicates their desire to negotiate with the people of Judah, enticing them to betray their rightful sovereign and align with their cause.