Ahaz was told, as a command, to ask for a sign (an evidence or spiritual confirmation). He rejected the prophecy and would not trust the Lord. Why wouldn’t he? He either didn’t care, or he had no interest, as “Esau [who] despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34), or else he didn’t want the Lord interfering with his political plans to ally with Assyria. Ahaz intentionally set himself up as wiser and more politically astute than God.
“And he [Isaiah] said: … is it a small thing for you to weary men [meaning “me,” Isaiah], but will ye weary my God also?” A more colloquial translation would be, “O house of David; is it not enough to try the patience of men, but will you try the patience of God also?”
Old Testament scholar Franz Delitzsch wrote:“He [King Ahaz] studiously brought down upon himself the fate denounced in [Isaiah 6; or 2 Nephi 16], and indeed not upon himself only, but upon all Judah as well. For after a few years the forces of [Assyria] would stand upon the same fuller’s field … and demand the surrender of Jerusalem. In that very hour, in which Isaiah was standing before Ahaz, the fate of Jerusalem was decided for more than two thousand years.” 50
Biblical scholar Edward Young wrote: “Ahaz’ wickedness is seen in the fact that by his stubbornness he was in fact rejecting the very foundation of the covenant. God had promised to be a God and a Deliverer to His people. Syria and Israel, therefore, will not overthrow the Davidic dynasty, for if they could succeed in so doing, the promises of God would be rendered void and salvation would not ultimately be accomplished through the Messiah. In effect, Ahaz, by his refusal, is asserting that God is not faithful to His promise.” 51