Isaiah 9

¹In earlier times he made the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali of small value, but after that he gave it glory, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

²The people who went in the dark have seen a great light, and for those who were living in the land of the deepest night, the light is shining.

³You have made them very glad, increasing their joy. They are glad before you as men are glad in the time of getting in the grain, or when they make division of the goods taken in war.

⁴For by your hand the yoke on his neck and the rod on his back, even the rod of his cruel master, have been broken, as in the day of Midian.

⁵For every boot of the man of war with his sounding step, and the clothing rolled in blood, will be for burning, food for the fire.

⁶For to us a child has come, to us a son is given; and the government has been placed in his hands; and he has been named Wise Guide, Strong God, Father for ever, Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his rule and of peace there will be no end, on the seat of David, and in his kingdom; to make it strong, supporting it with wise decision and righteousness, now and for ever. By the fixed purpose of the Lord of armies this will be done.

⁸The Lord has sent a word to Jacob, and it has come on Israel;

⁹And all the people will have experience of it, even Ephraim and the men of Samaria, who say in the pride of their uplifted hearts,

¹⁰The bricks have come down, but we will put up buildings of cut stone in their place: the sycamores are cut down, but they will be changed to cedars.

¹¹For this cause the Lord has made strong the haters of Israel, driving them on to make war against him;

¹²Aram on the east, and the Philistines on the west, who have come against Israel with open mouths. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

¹³But the heart of the people was not turned to him who sent punishment on them, and they made no prayer to the Lord of armies.

¹⁴For this cause the Lord took away from Israel head and tail, high and low, in one day.

¹⁵The man who is honoured and responsible is the head, and the prophet who gives false teaching is the tail.

¹⁶For the guides of this people are the cause of their wandering from the right way, and those who are guided by them come to destruction.

¹⁷For this cause the Lord will have no pleasure in their young men, and no pity on their widows and the children without fathers: for they are all haters of God and evil-doers, and foolish words come from every mouth. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

¹⁸For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke.

¹⁹The land was dark with the wrath of the Lord of armies: the people were like those who take men's flesh for food.

²⁰On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.

²¹Manasseh was making a meal of Ephraim, and Ephraim of Manasseh; and together they were attacking Judah. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Isaiah 9

¹But 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.

²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined.

³You 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 spoil.

⁴For 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.

⁵For 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.

⁶For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, 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 the Lord of hosts will perform this.

⁸The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it falls on Israel.

⁹All 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."

¹¹Therefore the Lord will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,

¹²The 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.

¹³Yet the people have not turned to him who struck them, neither have they sought the Lord of hosts.

¹⁴Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.

¹⁵The elder and the honorable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.

¹⁶For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed.

¹⁷Therefore 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.

¹⁸For 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.

¹⁹Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the land is burnt up; and the people are the fuel for the fire. No one spares his brother.

²⁰One 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:

²¹Manasseh, 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.