And the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse places Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub at a specific location: "the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field." This wasn't just any spot; it was a strategic point where water, essential for life and defense, was managed, and where cloth was processed. The prophet's presence here with his son, whose name means "a remnant shall return," underscores that God's message arrives not just in moments of crisis, but in the very places where life's necessities are secured and where hope, even for a remnant, is proclaimed.
And the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah is sent by God to confront King Ahaz of Judah, who is in a state of panic. Judah is under threat from the combined forces of Syria and Israel. Ahaz is inspecting the city's water supply system at the edge of the city, likely preparing defenses, and Isaiah is instructed to meet him there with his son, whose symbolic name means "a remnant will return."
Why did God send Isaiah not just alone, but with his son? The answer is in the son's very name, a living prophecy delivered right where the king was.
A Living Prophecy
The name of Isaiah's son, Shear-jashub, literally means 'a remnant shall return.' This wasn't just a random name; it was a divine message woven into the fabric of the unfolding crisis.
A Dual Meaning
This name served as a constant, tangible reminder of God's overarching plan, even amidst immediate threats.
The location God chose for this crucial encounter—the end of a water conduit near the Washer's Field—wasn't accidental. It points to the king's anxieties and God's strategic communication.
A Strategic Encounter
The meeting place was significant for several reasons:
Ask a follow-up
Securing the City's Lifeblood
A Public, Yet Strategic, Spot
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The covenantal name of God, YHWH, revealing His self-existent, eternal nature and His faithfulness to His redemptive promises to His people. It is the name through which God relates to humanity in grace and truth.
She'ar Yashuv · Hebrew Noun (Proper Name)
A name meaning "a remnant shall return," serving as a prophetic sign. It embodies the theological truth that while judgment may come upon the people of God, a faithful portion will survive and be restored by His mercy.
The encounter between Isaiah and King Ahaz takes place amid the existential threat of the Syro-Ephraimite war, with the looming power of Assyria as a backdrop. Ahaz's desperate political maneuver to seek Assyrian aid, rather than trusting God, sets the stage for both immediate judgment and long-term divine faithfulness.
Late 8th century BC
Syro-Ephraimite War begins
Rezin of Aram-Damascus and Pekah of Israel form an alliance to invade Judah and replace King Ahaz with a pro-Syrian ruler.
c. 734 BC
Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III invades
Ahaz of Judah, facing invasion, appeals to Assyria for help, paying tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III. This intervention shifts the political landscape.
c. 734 BC— this verse
Prophet instructed to meet King Ahaz
The LORD commands Isaiah to meet King Ahaz at the conduit of the upper pool, taking his son Shear-jashub (meaning 'a remnant shall return') with him as a sign.
c. 734 BC
Isaiah prophesies Immanuel's birth
In response to Ahaz's refusal to ask for a sign, Isaiah pronounces the sign of the virgin birth of Immanuel ('God with us'), signifying God's presence and future deliverance.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
Tiglath-Pileser III captures Damascus, ending the independent rule of Aram-Damascus, fulfilling part of Isaiah's prophecy.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, and later Sargon II, conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and deports its population, fulfilling the prophecy of Ephraim's destruction.
This passage immediately follows the narrative in Isaiah 7, detailing how the prophet's son, Shear-jashub ('A remnant shall return'), becomes a living sign. The name itself is a constant reminder of God's promise of restoration, even amidst judgment, directly connecting to the message conveyed by Isaiah's encounter with Ahaz.
Isaiah 10:20-23This passage expounds on the meaning of Shear-jashub's name, explicitly stating that 'the remnant, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will again trust in the LORD.' It clarifies that the 'remnant' signifies hope and a future return to God, reinforcing the prophetic significance of the encounter in Isaiah 7.
2 Kings 18:17This verse shows that the same location – the highway to the Fuller's Field – becomes a strategic point during the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. This highlights the consistent importance of this geographical marker and the recurring theme of divine intervention in times of crisis.
John 9:7Jesus sends the man born blind to wash in the Pool of Siloam, which is identified by some scholars as being connected to the 'upper pool' mentioned in Isaiah 7. This connection illustrates how water sources and pools outside the city walls held significance for both physical and spiritual cleansing throughout biblical history.
barnesIsaiah 7:3: "Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;"
Then said the Lord - In regard to the purposes for which Isaiah was sent to meet Ahaz, and the reason why this place was selected, see the Analysis of the chapter. Thou and Shear-ashub - The meaning of the name "Shear-jashub" is, 'the remnant shall return.' The names which Isaiah gave to his sons were significan…
jfbIsaiah 7:3: "Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;"
- Go forth—out of the city, to the place where Ahaz was superintending the works for defense and the cutting off of the water supply from the enemy, and securing it to the city. So Isa 22:9; 2Ch 32:4.Shearjashub—that is, A remnant shall return (Isa 6:13). His very name (compare Isa 7:14; Isa 8:3) was a standing…
The verse places Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub at a specific location: "the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field." This wasn't just any spot; it was a strategic point where water, essential for life and defense, was managed, and where cloth was processed. The prophet's presence here with his son, whose name means "a remnant shall return," underscores that God's message arrives not just in moments of crisis, but in the very places where life's necessities are secured and where hope, even for a remnant, is proclaimed.
The prophet Isaiah is sent by God to confront King Ahaz of Judah, who is in a state of panic. Judah is under threat from the combined forces of Syria and Israel. Ahaz is inspecting the city's water supply system at the edge of the city, likely preparing defenses, and Isaiah is instructed to meet him there with his son, whose symbolic name means "a remnant will return."
The prophet Isaiah is sent by God to confront King Ahaz of Judah, who is in a state of panic. Judah is under threat from the combined forces of Syria and Israel. Ahaz is inspecting the city's water supply system at the edge of the city, likely preparing defenses, and Isaiah is instructed to meet him there with his son, whose symbolic name means "a remnant will return."
"And the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field." — The verse places Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub at a specific location: "the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field." This wasn't just any spot; it was a strategic…
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Last reviewed October 2026