Isaiah 8:21-9:7

English Standard Version

²¹They will pass through the land,^[a] greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against^[b] their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. ²²^(A)And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into ^(B)thick darkness.

For to Us a Child Is Born

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

²^[e] ^(G)The people ^(H)who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of ^(I)deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
³^(J)You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with ^(K)joy at the harvest,
    as they ^(L)are glad ^(M)when they divide the spoil.
⁴^(N)For the yoke of his burden,
    ^(O)and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as ^(P)on the day of Midian.
⁵^(Q)For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶^(R)For to us a child is born,
    to us ^(S)a son is given;
^(T)and the government shall be ^(U)upon^[f] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called^[g]
Wonderful ^(V)Counselor, ^(W)Mighty God,
    ^(X)Everlasting ^(Y)Father, Prince of ^(Z)Peace.
⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace
    ^(AA)there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
^(AB)with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
^(AC)The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.