Isaiah 7:9

If ye will not believe (ta"ǎmînû) ye shall not be established (tç"âmçnû, 2 Samuel 7:16). One of Isaiah's paronomasias; "gläubetihr nicht, so bleibetihr nicht" (Luther); "if ye will not have faith, ye shall not have staith" (G. A. Smith). Cf. 2 Chronicles 20:20. The words mark an epoch in the history of revelation; never before probably had the distinctively religious principle of faith been so plainly exhibited as the touchstone of character and of destiny (cf. Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4). Here as throughout Scripture faith means trust in the positive revelation of God, the faith required of Ahaz being whole-hearted acceptance of God's word through Isaiah. The doctrine is one of the foundation truths of this prophet's ministry (cf. Isaiah 28:16; Isaiah 30:15; and see Introd. p. lv.).