Isaiah 9

Birth of the Prince of Peace

1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
a light has dawned
on those living in the land of darkness.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased its joy.
[The people] have rejoiced before You
as they rejoice at harvest time
and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke
and the rod on their shoulders,
the staff of their oppressor,
just as [You did] on the day of Midian.
5 For the trampling boot of battle
and the bloodied garments of war
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7 The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.

The Hand Raised against Israel

8 The Lord sent a message against Jacob;
it came against Israel.
9 All the people-
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria-will know it.
They will say with pride and arrogance:
10 "The bricks have fallen,
but we will rebuild with cut stones;
the sycamores have been cut down,
but we will replace them with cedars."
11 The Lord has raised up Rezin's adversaries against him
and stirred up his enemies.

12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west
have consumed Israel with open mouths.
In all this, His anger is not removed,
and His hand is still raised [to strike].

13 The people did not turn to Him who struck them;
they did not seek the Lord of Hosts.
14 So the Lord cut off Israel's head and tail,
palm branch and reed in a single day.
15 The head is the elder, the honored one;
the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher.
16 The leaders of the people mislead [them],
and those they mislead are swallowed up.

17 Therefore the Lord does not rejoice
over Israel's young men
and has no compassion
on its fatherless and widows,
for everyone is a godless evildoer,
and every mouth speaks folly.
In all this, His anger is not removed,
and His hand is still raised [to strike].

18 For wickedness burns like a fire
that consumes thorns and briers
and kindles the forest thickets
so that they go up in a column of smoke.
19 The land is scorched
by the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,
and the people are like fuel for the fire.
No one has compassion on his brother.
20 They carve [meat] on the right,
but they are [still] hungry;
they have eaten on the left,
but they are [still] not satisfied.
Each one eats the flesh of his own arm.

21 Manasseh is with Ephraim,
and Ephraim with Manasseh;
together, both are against Judah.
In all this, His anger is not removed,
and His hand is still raised [to strike].

Isaiah 9

1 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, Galilee of the nations.2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, 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 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 Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, 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 will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,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 Yet the people have not turned unto him that smote them, neither have they sought Jehovah of hosts.14 Therefore Jehovah 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 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 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.