Isaiah 9

¹In the earlier time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were lifted up. But in the later time, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, was weighed down.

²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has risen for the inhabitants of the region of the shadow of death.

³You have increased the nation, but you have not increased the rejoicing. They will rejoice before you, like those who rejoice at the harvest, like the victorious exulting after capturing the prey, when they divide the spoils.

⁴For you have prevailed over the yoke of their burden, and over the rod of their shoulder, and over the scepter of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

⁵For every violent plunder with a tumult, and every garment mixed with blood, will be burned up and will become fuel for the fire.

⁶For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And leadership is placed upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called: wonderful Counselor, mighty God, father of the future age, Prince of Peace.

⁷His reign will be increased, and there will be no end to his peace. He will sit upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to confirm and strengthen it, in judgment and justice, from now even unto eternity. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall accomplish this.

⁸The Lord sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.

⁹And all the people of Ephraim will know it. And the inhabitants of Samaria will say it, in the arrogance and haughtiness of their heart:

¹⁰“The bricks have fallen, but we will build with squared stones. They have cut down the sycamores, but we will replace them with cedars.”

¹¹And the Lord will raise up the enemies of Rezin over him, and he will turn his adversaries into a tumult:

¹²the Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west. And they will devour Israel with their whole mouth. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

¹³And the people did not return to the One who struck them, and they did not seek the Lord of hosts.

¹⁴And so, the Lord will disperse, away from Israel, the head and the tail, he who bows down and he who refrains, in one day.

¹⁵The long-lived and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

¹⁶And those who deceitfully praise this people, and those who are praised, will be thrown down violently.

¹⁷For this reason, the Lord will not rejoice over their youths. And he will not take pity on their orphans and widows. For each one is a hypocrite, and each one is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

¹⁸For impiety has been kindled like a fire: it will devour brier and thorn, and it will burn in the dense forest, and it will be interwoven with the ascending smoke.

¹⁹The earth has been shaken by the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and the people will become like fuel for the fire. A man will not spare his own brother.

²⁰And he will turn toward the right, and he will be hungry. And he will eat toward the left, and he will not be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they will be against Judah.

²¹After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

Isaiah 9

¹At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.

²The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

³Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.

⁴For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou hast overcome, as in the day of Madian.

⁵For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire.

⁶For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

⁷His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

⁸The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

⁹And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:

¹⁰The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.

¹¹And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:

¹²The Syrians from the east, and, the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

¹³And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.

¹⁴And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day.

¹⁵The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

¹⁶And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down, headlong.

¹⁷Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

¹⁸For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

¹⁹By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

²⁰And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shall eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.

²¹After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.