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But there shall be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he has made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

    The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.
You have multiplied the nation.
    You have increased their joy.

They rejoice before you according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the plunder. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as in the day of Midian. For all the armor of the armed man in the noisy battle, and the garments rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.

The Lord sent a word into Jacob,

    and it falls on Israel.
All the people will know,
    including Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen,
    but we will build with cut stone.
The sycamore fig trees have been cut down,
    but we will put cedars in their place.”
11 Therefore Yahweh will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin,
    and will stir up his enemies,
12     The Syrians in front,
    and the Philistines behind;
    and they will devour Israel with open mouth.
For all this, his anger is not turned away,
    but his hand is stretched out still.

13 Yet the people have not turned to him who struck them,
    neither have they sought Yahweh of Armies.
14 Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail,
    palm branch and reed, in one day.
15 The elder and the honorable man is the head,
    and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.
16 For those who lead this people lead them astray;
    and those who are led by them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men,
    neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows;
for everyone is profane and an evildoer,
    and every mouth speaks folly.
For all this his anger is not turned away,
    but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burns like a fire.
    It devours the briers and thorns;
    yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest,
    and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
19 Through Yahweh of Armies’ wrath, the land is burned up;
    and the people are the fuel for the fire.
    No one spares his brother.
20 One will devour on the right hand, and be hungry;
    and he will eat on the left hand, and they will not be satisfied.
Everyone will eat 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.

For to Us a Child Is Born

[a] But there will be no (A)gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he (B)brought into contempt the land of (C)Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he (D)has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.[b]

[c] (E)The people (F)who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of (G)deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
(H)You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with (I)joy at the harvest,
    as they (J)are glad (K)when they divide the spoil.
(L)For the yoke of his burden,
    (M)and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as (N)on the day of Midian.
(O)For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
(P)For to us a child is born,
    to us (Q)a son is given;
(R)and the government shall be (S)upon[d] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful (T)Counselor, (U)Mighty God,
    (V)Everlasting (W)Father, Prince of (X)Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    (Y)there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
(Z)with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
(AA)The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression

The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,
    and it will fall on Israel;
and all the people will know,
    (AB)Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,
    who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
10 “The bricks have fallen,
    but we will build with dressed stones;
the sycamores have been cut down,
    but we will put cedars in their place.”
11 But the Lord raises the adversaries of Rezin against him,
    and stirs up his enemies.
12 (AC)The Syrians on the east and (AD)the Philistines on the west
    devour Israel with open mouth.
(AE)For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.

13 The people (AF)did not turn to him who struck them,
    nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.
14 So the Lord cut off from Israel (AG)head and tail,
    palm branch and reed in one day—
15 (AH)the elder and honored man is the head,
    and (AI)the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
16 for those who guide this people have been leading them astray,
    and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
17 Therefore the Lord does not (AJ)rejoice over their young men,
    and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows;
for everyone is (AK)godless and an evildoer,
    and every mouth speaks (AL)folly.[f]
(AM)For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burns like (AN)a fire;
    it consumes briers and thorns;
it kindles the thickets of the forest,
    and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts
    the land is scorched,
and (AO)the people are like fuel for the fire;
    (AP)no one spares another.
20 (AQ)They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry,
    and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied;
(AR)each devours the flesh of his own arm,
21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh;
    together they are (AS)against Judah.
(AT)For all this his anger has not turned away,
    and his hand is stretched out still.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 Ch 8:23 in Hebrew
  2. Isaiah 9:1 Or of the Gentiles
  3. Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9:1 in Hebrew
  4. Isaiah 9:6 Or is upon
  5. Isaiah 9:6 Or is called
  6. Isaiah 9:17 Or speaks disgraceful things