Isaiah 9

Isaiah 8 Isaiah 10

Isaiah 9 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

9 But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain.^[a] The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.

War Is Over

²Those who walked in the dark
    have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
    of darkest shadows.
³Our Lord, you have made
    your nation stronger.^[b]
Because of you, its people
    are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
    what they have taken.

⁴You have broken the power
of those who abused
    and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
    from Midian.^[c]
⁵The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
    have been fed to flames
    and eaten by fire.

A Child Has Been Born

⁶A child has been born for us.
We have been given a son
    who will be our ruler.
His names will be
Wonderful Advisor
    and Mighty God,
Eternal Father
    and Prince of Peace.
⁷His power will never end;
    peace will last forever.
He will rule David’s kingdom
    and make it grow strong.
He will always rule
    with honesty and justice.
The Lord All-Powerful
will make certain
    that all of this is done.

God Will Punish Israel

⁸The Lord had warned the people of Israel, ⁹and all of them knew it, including everyone in the capital city of Samaria. But they were proud and stubborn and said,

¹⁰“Houses of brick and sycamore
have fallen to the ground,
but we will build houses
with stones and cedar.”

¹¹The Lord made their enemies^[d] attack them. ¹²He sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel. But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them.^[e] ¹³The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.

¹⁴In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches. ¹⁵Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail. ¹⁶They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. ¹⁷The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him.^[f] They were evil and spoke foolishly. That’s why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.

¹⁸Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke. ¹⁹The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other ²⁰like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives.^[g] But still they were not satisfied. ²¹The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other, then joined forces to attack Judah. But the Lord was still angry and ready to punish the nation even more.

Footnotes:

9.1 will. . . pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9.3 stronger: Or “happy” or “larger.”
9.4 rescued. . . from Midian: The time when Gideon defeated the people of Midian in Jezreel Valley (see Judges 6-8).
9.11 their enemies: Hebrew “the enemies of Rezin.”
9.12 so. . . them: Or “but he hasn’t given up on them yet.”
9.17 and kept. . . against him: Or “but even though they had turned against him, he still had not given up on them.”
9.20 their own relatives: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Isaiah 9 New International Version (NIV)

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

²The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
³You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
⁴For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
⁵Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

⁸The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
    it will fall on Israel.
⁹All the people will know it—
    Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—
who say with pride
    and arrogance of heart,
¹⁰“The bricks have fallen down,
    but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
    but we will replace them with cedars.”
¹¹But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
    and has spurred their enemies on.
¹²Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
    have devoured Israel with open mouth.

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

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

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

¹⁸Surely wickedness burns like a fire;
    it consumes briers and thorns,
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹By the wrath of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched
and the people will be fuel for the fire;
    they will not spare one another.
²⁰On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;
on the left they will eat,
    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;
    together they will turn against Judah.

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

Footnotes:

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

New International Version (NIV)

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Isaiah 8 Isaiah 10

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Isaiah 9

Isaiah 9 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

War Is Over

A Child Has Been Born

God Will Punish Israel

Footnotes:

Isaiah 9 New International Version (NIV)

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

Footnotes:

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