Isaiah 9
Evangelical Heritage Version
A Second Description of Immanuel:
The Child Who Is Born to Us
9 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for the land that was in anguish.[a] In former times, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time[b] he will cause it to be glorious, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.[c]
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned.
3 You have multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy.[d]
They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time,
like the celebration when people divide the plunder.
4 For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them.
You have broken the bar on their shoulders and
the rod of their oppressor,
as you did in the day of Midian.
5 Every boot that marched in battle
and the garments rolled in blood will be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born.
To us a son is given.
The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders.
He will be named:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no limit to his authority
and no end to the peace he brings.
He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
from now on, into eternity.
The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
Judgment on Aram and Samaria
8 The Lord sent a word against Jacob,
and it falls upon Israel.
9 All the people will know,
including Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,
who say with pride and with an arrogant heart,
10 “The mud bricks have fallen down,
but we will build with cut stone.
The sycamore fig trees have been cut down,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Then the Lord will raise up Rezin’s adversaries against him,
and he will stir up his enemies.
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
will devour Israel with an open mouth.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.
13 But the people have not returned to the one who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord of Armies.
14 Therefore, in one day the Lord will cut off from Israel
head and tail, palm branch and reed.
15 The elder and the honored man are the head,
and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.
16 It is the leaders of this people who lead them astray,
and those who are led by them are destroyed.
17 Therefore, the Lord will not rejoice over their young men,
nor will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows,
because everyone is godless and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks foolishness.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.
18 Now wickedness burns like a fire.
It devours the briers and thorns.
Look, it flares up in the thickets of the forest,
and it swirls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath of the Lord of Armies, the land is burned up,
and the people are the fuel for the fire.
No one spares his brother.
20 On the right hand they will gobble down food,
but they will still be hungry.
On the left hand they will keep eating, but they will not be satisfied.
Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm.[e]
21 Manasseh will be against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh,
and together they will be against Judah.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 Literally for her who was in anguish
- Isaiah 9:1 The term latter time usually refers to the distant future, often to the end times, the Messianic era.
- Isaiah 9:1 Verse 9:1 in English is verse 8:23 in Hebrew. Throughout the rest of chapter 9, the English verse numbers are one number higher than the Hebrew numbers.
- Isaiah 9:3 The translation follows a Hebrew reading in the margin. The main reading of the Hebrew text is you have not increased their joy.
- Isaiah 9:20 Or his own offspring
Isaiah 9
King James Version
9 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 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.
Isaiah 9
American Standard Version
9 [a]But there shall be no gloom to her that 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 hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, [b]Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the [c]shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, [d]thou hast increased their joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as in the day of Midian. 5 For [e]all the armor of the armed man in the tumult, and the garments rolled in blood, shall be for burning, for fuel of fire. 6 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 [f]Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, [g]Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and in stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycomores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place. 11 Therefore Jehovah [h]will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and [i]will [j]stir up his enemies, 12 the Syrians [k]before, and the Philistines [l]behind; and they [m]shall 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 unto him that smote them, neither have they sought Jehovah of hosts. 14 Therefore Jehovah [n]will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day. 15 The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are [o]destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is profane and an evil-doer, 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 devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land [p]burnt up; and the people are as the fuel of fire: no man spareth his brother. 20 And one 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.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 Or, For
- Isaiah 9:1 Or, the district
- Isaiah 9:2 Or, deep darkness
- Isaiah 9:3 Another reading is, thou didst not increase the joy
- Isaiah 9:5 Or, every boot of the booted warrior
- Isaiah 9:6 Or, Wonderful counsellor
- Isaiah 9:6 Hebrew Father of Eternity.
- Isaiah 9:11 Or, hath set
- Isaiah 9:11 Or, hath stirred
- Isaiah 9:11 Or, join together. Or, arm
- Isaiah 9:12 Or, on the east
- Isaiah 9:12 Or, on the west
- Isaiah 9:12 Or, have devoured
- Isaiah 9:14 Or, hath cut
- Isaiah 9:16 Hebrew swallowed up.
- Isaiah 9:19 Or, darkened
Isaiah 9
Good News Translation
9 (A)There will be no way for them to escape from this time of trouble.
The Future King
The land of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali was once disgraced, but the future will bring honor to this region, from the Mediterranean eastward to the land on the other side of the Jordan, and even to Galilee itself, where the foreigners live.
2 (B)The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
They lived in a land of shadows,
but now light is shining on them.
3 You have given them great joy,[a] Lord;
you have made them happy.
They rejoice in what you have done,
as people rejoice when they harvest grain
or when they divide captured wealth.
4 For you have broken the yoke that burdened them
and the rod that beat their shoulders.
You have defeated the nation
that oppressed and exploited your people,
just as you defeated the army of Midian long ago.
5 The boots of the invading army
and all their bloodstained clothing
will be destroyed by fire.
6 A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful[b] Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”
“Prince of Peace.”
7 (C)His royal power will continue to grow;
his kingdom will always be at peace.
He will rule as King David's successor,
basing his power on right and justice,
from now until the end of time.
The Lord Almighty is determined to do all this.
The Lord Will Punish Israel
8 The Lord has pronounced judgment on the kingdom of Israel, on the descendants of Jacob. 9 All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say, 10 “The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycamore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar.”
11 The Lord has stirred up their enemies[c] to attack them. 12 Syria on the east and Philistia on the west have opened their mouths to devour Israel. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.
13 The people of Israel have not repented; even though the Lord Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him. 14 In a single day the Lord will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail. 15 The old and honorable men are the head—and the tail is the prophets whose teachings are lies! 16 Those who lead these people have misled them and totally confused them. 17 And so the Lord will not let any of the young men escape, and he will not show pity on any of the widows and orphans, because all the people are godless and wicked and everything they say is evil. Yet even so the Lord's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.
18 The wickedness of the people burns like a fire that destroys thorn bushes and thistles. It burns like a forest fire that sends up columns of smoke. 19 Because the Lord Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is each of us for ourselves. 20 Everywhere in the country people snatch and eat any bit of food they can find, but their hunger is never satisfied. They even eat their own children! 21 The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:3 Probable text You have given them great joy; Hebrew You have increased the nation.
- Isaiah 9:6 Wonderful; or Wise.
- Isaiah 9:11 Probable text their enemies; Hebrew the enemies of Rezin.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
