Who is the Nevi'ah?
Rashi: It is Yeshayah's wife. Radak - she is called Nevi'ah, for she was a Navi's wife 1 .
Rashi (7:14) said that a Navi's wife is called a Nevi'ah only if she herself had prophecy!
Is this the same baby that Hashem commanded to call him Imanu'el (7:14)?
Rashi: Yes 1 . "Imanu'el" shows that Hashem will be with us when Chizkiyah reigns. You cannot say that it is a second son, for both of them were born before Pekach was killed in Achaz' fourth year (there is not time within one year to become pregnant and give birth twice 2 )!
Radak (4), Malbim: No. The first baby was from Achaz' wife. Malbim - "ha'Yeladim Asher Nasan Li Hashem" (18, does not mean my children; rather, He give them to me for signs 3 ). Alternatively, both babies were of Yeshayah; "Harah" (7:14) is past tense. She was already towards the end of her pregnancy.
Malbim: This is like Rashi explained (7:14), that "Harah" is future. Really, it is past; refer to 8:3:2:2. (Also according to Rashi, if it was a leap year, and each pregnancy was only six months and some days, both could be born within the year! - PF)
Why did he say "to me'? The first was a sign for Achaz, and not for Yeshayah! Yeshayah told him "She'al Lecha Os" (7:11), and "Yiten Hashem Hu Lachem Os" (7:14)! (PF)
Why did He say to call him "Maher Shalal"?
Rashi: This is due to punishments that will come on Retzin and Ben Remalyahu, who wanted to take kingship from Beis David, and Chizkiyah's kingship would cease.
Radak: The command was to sometimes Maher Shalal, and sometimes Chash Baz; both of these mean the same. The baby and the scroll were two signs for the same matter. Malbim - this is because a Nevu'ah with an action will always be fulfilled. This is why Hashem commanded Yeshayah to go naked and barefoot (20:2), and Yirmeyah to buy a linen belt and carry poles (Yirmeyah 13:2, 27:2). Hashem does not retract from a promise for good, even if the nation sins, but He can retract from a Nevu'ah for evil if the nation repents. Therefore, one sign sufficed for the Nevu'ah to benefit Yehudah 1 , but two were needed for the fall of Retzin and Pekach.
Since it was for good, there was no need for any sign! (PF)
