Isaiah 9:2-4
Expanded Bible
2 The people who ·lived [or are living/walking] in darkness,
·have seen [or will see] a great light.
On those who ·lived [are living/dwelling] in ·a dark land [or the shadow of death],
a light ·has shined [or will shine].
3 God, you have caused the nation to ·grow [expand; enlarge]
and ·made the people happy [increased their joy].
And they have ·shown their happiness to [L rejoiced before] you,
like the joy during harvest time,
like the joy of people
·taking what they have won in war [L dividing the spoil/plunder].
4 Like the time you defeated Midian [Judg. 7–8],
you have ·taken away [broken; shattered] their ·heavy load [L yoke of burden]
and the heavy ·pole [bar; staff] from their ·backs [or shoulders]
and the rod ·the enemy used to punish them [of the oppressor].
Isaiah 9:2-4
New King James Version
2 (A)The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation
And [a]increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice (B)when they divide the spoil.
4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of (C)Midian.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:3 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., Vg. not increased joy; LXX Most of the people You brought down in Your joy
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.