Judaism claims that Isaiah 9:6 was written in order to encourage King Hezekiah, who at that time was being threatened by the powerful armies of Sennacherib, king of Assyria . During the reign of Hezekiah, the Assyrians came to destroy the cities of Judah and capture Jerusalem . It was a very bleak time because Assyria was a world empire.

Because of the events recorded in the Bible, it is possible to determine Hezekiah’s age when this attack occurred. According to 2 Kings 18:1-2, Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign. The Bible establishes that Sennacherib’s army attacked the cities of Judah during the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18:13). Hezekiah was 39 years old (25+14) at the time, this took place:

2 Kings 18:1 "Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. (2) Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem . …"

2 Kings 18:13 "Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them."

Hezekiah was 39 years old during the Assyrian invasion. Could the phrase "for unto us a child is born" apply to a 39 year old man who was the king of Judah for 14 years? It is insulting to apply this verse to a 39-year-old king! The age factor alone eliminates Hezekiah as the subject of Isaiah 9:6,7.

Additionally, Judaism claims that Isaiah wrote verse 7 to encourage Hezekiah that the throne of David would remain secure in the face of this Assyrian invasion, and that through Hezekiah, God would establish the throne of David for evermore. This cannot be the case.

In Isaiah chapter 39, the LORD was furious with Hezekiah for being proud of the wealth of Judah and opening his palace to show all of its treasures to the pagan Babylonians. This is found in Isaiah 39:1-4. This pride infuriated the LORD God of Israel and resulted in Isaiah notifying Hezekiah of God’s severe punishment, a punishment that would fall on Hezekiah’s descendants:

Isaiah 39:5 "Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (6) Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

(7) And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon ."

According to God’s decree, Hezekiah’s sons would be taken away captive by the king of Babylon and made eunuchs in the palace of the king. Because eunuchs are men who have been castrated, naturally, these men are incapable of fathering children. The throne of David is prevented from continuing through Hezekiah. Thus, Isaiah 9:7 cannot be about Hezekiah establishing the throne of David forever!

Less than one hundred years later, the children of Israel along with King Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin or Coniah, who was a direct descendant of Hezekiah, and all of the princes of Judah were taken away captive by the king of Babylon:

2 Kings 24:12 "And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon , he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign."

One may claim Jehoiachin, also known as Jeconiah, was a descendant of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 3:13,17), and that he had children (1 Chronicles 3:17-24). Although it is true that Jeconiah had children, it is also important to realize that the LORD cursed Jeconiah’s seed since he was very rebellious against God. The curse was that none of his descendants would sit on the throne of David as king of Israel . This is found in Jeremiah 22:30:

Jeremiah 22:30 "Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah ."

In this verse, the LORD indicates that although Jeconiah would have children, God considered them ineligible to sit upon the throne of David. Additionally, Hezekiah had another descendant by the name of Zedekiah (1 Chronicles 3:13,15). Zedekiah reigned after Jeconiah and was the last king of Judah . Although Zedekiah was a descendant of Hezekiah, Jeremiah 52:10 records that all his sons were slain:

Jeremiah 52:10 "And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah."

The combinations of the curse on King Jeconiah’s seed, all of King Hezekiah’s descendant made eunuchs, and all of King Zedekiah’s sons killed at Riblah, the Hebrew Scriptures do not allow anyone to continue the throne of David through Hezekiah. Therefore, how can Isaiah 9:7 apply to Hezekiah?

In summary, King Hezekiah’s line ended with a curse on King Jeconiah’s seed, with the death of all of King Zedekiah’s sons and whoever remained of Hezekiah’s seed was taken to Babylon and made a eunuch. The Bible is very clear that the kingly line of Hezekiah ended and did not remain forever as Isaiah 9:7 requires.

Isaiah 9:7 also indicates that the subject of the passage would bring peace forever. With Hezekiah, this was certainly not the case. History records that after Hezekiah’s death, Israel was taken captive twice. The first was for seventy years by the king of Babylon and the second for almost 2000 years. Israel has experienced anything but peace up until this very moment in time. Quite obviously, Hezekiah did not establish peace forever.

Isaiah 9:7 states that the subject of the verse would establish the earth "with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." Hezekiah never accomplished this. This responsibility is set aside for the Messiah, the Branch, as Jeremiah 23:5 so clearly indicates:

Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

For all the reasons shown above Isaiah 9:6, 7 cannot be describing King Hezekiah. These verses are about King Messiah, God’s Righteous Servant. These verses are yet to be fulfilled.  They will be fulfilled at the awesome Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, God’s Righteous Servant.

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name