Trypho said: I grant you that the proofs are of such a kind and such a number as to be sufficient to impress me, but I desire that you should know that I ask you to prove the passage of Scripture which you have often promised. Pray therefore bring it for us to a close, that we may see also how you prove that that passage has been spoken of this Christ of yours. For we say that it was prophesied of Hezekiah.
I replied: As you desire, I will do so. But first do you prove to me that the following words were spoken of Hezekiah, namely, that before he knew how to call father or mother, he took the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria in the presence of the king of Assyria. For we cannot grant you, as you desire to expound it, that Hezekiah made war on the men in Damascus, or in Samaria, in the presence of the king of Assyria. For, said the word of the prophet, before the child knows how to call father or mother, he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria in the presence of the king of Assyria.
For if the word of the prophet had not said this by way of addition, namely, Before the child knows how to call father or mother he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, but had said only: And she shall bring forth a son and he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, you could say: Because God foreknew that he would take them, He said so beforehand. But now the prophecy speaks with this addition: Before the child knows how to call father or mother he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria. And you cannot prove that this has ever happened to anyone among the Jews, but we can prove that it took place in the case of our Christ.
For at the very time that He was born wise men came from Arabia and worshipped Him, after they had first been to Herod who, was king at that time in your land, whom the Word calls the king of Assyria because of his godless and wicked mind. For you are aware that the Holy Spirit often speaks things of this kind in parables and similitudes; even as He has done also with regard to the whole people that was in Jerusalem, saying often unto them: Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother a Hittite.