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[a]But there will be no more gloom
    for the land that is in distress.
    Elohim humbled the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali in earlier times.
    But in the future he will bring glory to the road by the sea,
        to the land across the Jordan River,
        to Galilee, where foreigners live.

A Child Will Be Born as the Prince of Peace

The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light.
    The light will shine on those who live in the land of death’s shadow.

You will expand the nation and increase its happiness.
    It will be happy in your presence
        like those who celebrate the harvest
            or rejoice when dividing loot.
You will break the yoke[b] that burdens them,
    the bar that is across their shoulders,
        and the stick used by their oppressor,
            as you did in the battle against Midian.
Every warrior’s boot marching to the sound of battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
        will be burned as fuel in the fire.
A child will be born for us.
    A son will be given to us.
    The government will rest on his shoulders.
    He will be named:
        Wonderful Counselor,
        Mighty God,
        Everlasting Father,
        Sar Shalom.
His government and peace will have unlimited growth.
    He will establish David’s throne and kingdom.
    He will uphold it with justice and righteousness now and forever.
    Yahweh Tsebaoth is determined to do this!

The Lord’s Message against His People

Adonay sent a message against Jacob.
    The message is against Israel.
All the people of Ephraim
    and the people who live in Samaria will know it.
        With arrogant and conceited hearts they will say,
10 “Bricks have fallen,
    but we will rebuild with hand-cut stones.
        Fig trees have been cut down,
            but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Yahweh will set Rezin’s oppressors against Israel
    and will stir up its enemies—
12 the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west.
    They will devour Israel with open mouths.

Even after all this, his anger will not disappear,
    and he is still ready to use his power.

13 But the people have not returned to the one who struck them,
    nor have they sought Yahweh Tsebaoth.
14 So in one day Yahweh will cut off from Israel
    both head and tail,
    both palm branches and cattails.
15 Respected and honored leaders are the head.
    Prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16 Those who guide these people lead them astray.
    Those who are guided by them will be destroyed.
17 That is why Adonay isn’t happy with their young men,
    nor will he show compassion for their orphans and widows.
        Every one of them is a godless evildoer,
            and every mouth speaks foolishness.

Even after all this, his anger will not disappear,
    and he is still ready to use his power.

18 Surely wickedness burns like fire.
    It burns up briars and thorns.
    It sets the underbrush in the forest on fire,
        and it whirls upward in clouds of smoke.
19 The land is scorched by the fury of Yahweh Tsebaoth,
    and the people are like fuel for the fire.
    No one shows concern for others:
20 On the right, one gobbles up food and is still hungry.
    On the left, another eats and is never full.
        Each person eats the flesh from his own arm.
21 Manasseh is against Ephraim.
    Ephraim is against Manasseh.
    Together they attack Judah.

Even after all this, his anger will not disappear,
    and he is still ready to use his power.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 Isaiah 9:1–21 in English Bibles is Isaiah 8:23–9:20 in the Hebrew Bible.
  2. Isaiah 9:4 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts.

[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(A) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(B) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness(C)
    have seen a great light;(D)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(E)
    a light has dawned.(F)
You have enlarged the nation(G)
    and increased their joy;(H)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.(I)
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(J)
    you have shattered(K)
the yoke(L) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,(M)
    the rod of their oppressor.(N)
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(O)
    will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,(P)
    to us a son is given,(Q)
    and the government(R) will be on his shoulders.(S)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(T) Mighty God,(U)
    Everlasting(V) Father,(W) Prince of Peace.(X)
Of the greatness of his government(Y) and peace(Z)
    there will be no end.(AA)
He will reign(AB) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice(AC) and righteousness(AD)
    from that time on and forever.(AE)
The zeal(AF) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

The Lord has sent a message(AG) against Jacob;
    it will fall on Israel.
All the people will know it—
    Ephraim(AH) and the inhabitants of Samaria(AI)
who say with pride
    and arrogance(AJ) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
    but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(AK)
the fig(AL) trees have been felled,
    but we will replace them with cedars.(AM)
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(AN) foes against them
    and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(AO) from the east and Philistines(AP) from the west
    have devoured(AQ) Israel with open mouth.

Yet for all this, his anger(AR) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(AS)

13 But the people have not returned(AT) to him who struck(AU) them,
    nor have they sought(AV) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed(AW) in a single day;(AX)
15 the elders(AY) and dignitaries(AZ) are the head,
    the prophets(BA) who teach lies(BB) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(BC) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(BE)
    nor will he pity(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(BG) and wicked,(BH)
    every mouth speaks folly.(BI)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(BJ)

18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;(BK)
    it consumes briers and thorns,(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,(BM)
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;(BP)
    they will not spare one another.(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;(BR)
on the left they will eat,(BS)
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;(BT)
    together they will turn against Judah.(BU)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(BV)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
  2. Isaiah 9:20 Or arm

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.

14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.