Commentaire sur Isaïe 7:16

For, when the lad does not yet know to reject bad and choose good the land shall be abandoned by its inhabitants, [i.e.,] the land of Rezin and the land of Pekah.

For before the child shall know, etc. Some assume that such is the case at the age of twenty years, because of the words of Moses, From twenty years old, etc. (Exod. 30:14); if so, this prophecy must have been delivered after the second year of the reign of Ahaz.²³Ahaz reigned sixteen years; the exile of Israel took place in the sixth year of King Hezekiah; from the second of Ahaz till the exile are twenty years. But it is possible²⁴Necessary is expected after I. E.’s remark on ver. 15. that an earlier age than twenty is meant.

you dread and fear its two kings, Rezin and Pekah, for in that year the king of Assyria marched on Damascus since Ahaz hired him, as it is stated in the Book of II Kings (16:9): “And seized it and exiled its inhabitants to Kir, and he slew Rezin,” and in that very year (ibid. 15:30), “Hoshea the son of Elah revolted against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and he struck him and slew him...in the twentieth year of Jotham,” which was the fourth year of Ahaz.