Isaiah 9

A great light

1 t Nonetheless, those who were in distress won’t be exhausted. At an earlier time, God cursed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but later he glorified the way of the sea, the far side of the Jordan, and the Galilee of the nations.t
2 t The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light.
On those living in a pitch-dark land,
light has dawned.
3 You have made the nation great;
you have increased its joy.
They rejoiced before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as those who divide plunder rejoice.
4 As on the day of Midian,
you’ve shattered the yoke
that burdened them,
the staff on their shoulders,
and the rod of their oppressor.
5 Because every boot
of the thundering warriors,
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned, fuel for the fire.
6 A child is born to us,
a son is given to us,
and authority will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7 There will be vast authority
and endless peace
for David’s throne
and for his kingdom,
establishing and sustaining it
with justice and righteousness
now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of heavenly forces will do this.

God’s hand still stretched out

8 The Lord sent a word against Jacob;
it fell upon Israel;
9 the people all knew it—
Ephraim and the one
who rules in Samaria.
But with a proud and arrogant heart
they said,
10 "Bricks have fallen,
but let’s rebuild with stones.
Sycamores were cut down,
but let’s replace them with cedars."
11 So the LORD raised up their foes
against them,t
and stirred up their enemies—

12 Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west—
and they devoured Israel
with an open mouth.
Even then God’s anger
didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.
13 But the people didn’t turn
to the one who struck them.
They didn’t seek
the LORD of heavenly forces.
14 So the LORD cut off head and tail,
palm branch and reed
from Israel in one day.
15 (Elders and celebrities are the head;
prophets who teach lies are the tail.)
16 But this people’s leaders
were misleading,
and those being led were confused.
17 So the Lord
showed their youth no pity,
and showed their orphans and widows no mercy;
for everyone was godless and evil;
every mouth spoke nonsense.
Even then God’s anger
didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.
18 Wickedness burned like fire,
devouring thorn and thistle.
It kindled the thickets of the forest;
they swirled in rising smoke.
19 The land was scorched by the rage of
the LORD of heavenly forces;
the people were like fuel for the fire.
Not one person pitied another:
20 they consumed on the right,
but remained hungry;
devoured on the left,
and weren’t satisfied.
They devoured the flesh
of their own children.t

21 Manasseh devoured Ephraim
and Ephraim Manasseh;
together they turned against Judah.
Even then God’s anger
didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.

Isaiah 9

Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives

1 ss The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious.t
In earlier times het humiliated
the land of Zebulun,
and the land of Naphtali;s
but now he brings honort
to the way of the sea,
the region beyond the Jordan,
and Galilee of the nations.s

2 The people walking in darkness
see a bright light;s
light shines
on those who live in a land of deep darkness.t

3 Yous have enlarged the nation;
you give them great joy.s
They rejoice in your presence
as harvesters rejoice;
as warriors celebratet when they divide up the plunder.

4 For their oppressive yoke
and the club that strikes their shoulders,
the cudgel the oppressor uses on them,t
you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat.s

5 Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the eartht
and every garment dragged through blood
is used as fuel for the fire.

6 For a child has beent born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility
and is called:t
Extraordinary Strategist,t
Mighty God,t
Everlasting Father,t
Prince of Peace.t

7 His dominion will be vasts
and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.t
He will rule on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom,t
establishing itt and strengthening it
by promoting justice and fairness,t
from this time forward and forevermore.
The Lord’s intense devotion to his peoplet will accomplish this.

God’s Judgment Intensifies

8 s The sovereign mastert decreed judgmentt on Jacob,
and it fell on Israel.t

9 All the people were awaret of it,
the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria.t
Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said,t

10 “The bricks have fallen,
but we will rebuild with chiseled stone;
the sycamore fig trees have been cut down,
but we will replace them with cedars.”s

11 Then the Lord provokedt their adversaries to attack them,s
he stirred upt their enemies –

12 Syria from the east,
and the Philistines from the west,
they gobbled up Israelite territory.t
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again.t

13 The people did not return to the one who struck them,
they did not seek reconciliationt with the Lord who commands armies.

14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail,
both the shoots and stalks in one day.

15 The leaders and the highly respected peoplet are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.

16 The leaders of this nation were misleading people,
and the people being led were destroyed.t

17 So the sovereign master was not pleasedt with their young men,
he took no pityt on their orphans and widows;
for the whole nation was godlesst and did wicked things,t
every mouth was speaking disgraceful words.t
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again.ts

18 Fort evil burned like a fire,s
it consumed thorns and briers;
it burned up the thickets of the forest,
and they went up in smoke.t

19 Because of the anger of the Lord who commands armies, the land was scorched,t
and the people became fuel for the fire.s
People had no compassion on one another.t

20 They devouredt on the right, but were still hungry,
they ate on the left, but were not satisfied.
People even atet the flesh of their own arm!t

21 Manasseh fought againstt Ephraim,
and Ephraim against Manasseh;
together they fought against Judah.
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again.ts