9 The people walking in darkness
will see a great light.
Upon those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death,
light will shine.[a]
2 You will multiply the nation.
You will increase the joy.
They will rejoice before You
like the joy in the harvest,
as they revel when they divide spoil.
3 For You will break the burdensome yoke
and the rod on his shoulder—
the war-club of his oppressor—
as in the day of Midian.
4 For every stomping boot quaking
and cloak rolled in blood
will be for burning—
fuel for the fire.
Prince of Peace
5 For to us a child is born,
a son will be given to us,[b]
and the government will be upon His shoulder.[c]
His Name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,[d]
Mighty God
My Father of Eternity,
Prince of Peace.[e]
6 Of the increase of His government
and shalom there will be no end—
on the throne of David and over His kingdom—
to establish it and uphold it
through justice and righteousness
from now until forevermore.[f]
The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot
will accomplish this.
Warning About Defiance
7 Adonai sent a word to Jacob,
and it fell upon Israel.
8 All the people will know what Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria
say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
9 “The bricks are fallen,
but we will rebuild with cut stones.
The sycamores are cut down,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
10 Therefore Adonai raises up
Rezin’s adversaries against them,
and spurs on his enemies.
11 The Arameans from the east
and the Philistines from the west—
they will devour Israel with open mouth.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
yet His hand is still outstretched.
12 Yet the people will not turn back
to the One who strikes them,
nor will they seek Adonai-Tzva’ot.
13 So Adonai will cut off from Israel head and tail,
palm branch and bulrush in a single day.
14 The elder and the man of rank—
he is the head.
The prophet who teaches falsehood—
he is the tail.
15 The leaders of this people lead them astray.
Those they mislead are swallowed up.
16 Therefore Adonai will have no joy in their young men,
nor will He have compassion on their orphans and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks foolishness.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
yet His hand is still outstretched.
17 For wickedness burns like a fire
and consumes the briers and thorns
It kindles the thickets of the forest,
so they roll up in a column of smoke.
18 By the wrath of Adonai-Tzva’ot
is the land burnt up;
The people are as fuel for the fire.
No one spares his brother.
19 One grabs with the right hand
but is hungry,
and eats with the left hand
but is not satisfied.
Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm—
20 Manasseh will devour Ephraim,
and Ephraim, Manasseh,
both are against Judah.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
yet His hand is outstretched.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 cf. Matt. 4:14-16; Luke 1:79.
- Isaiah 9:5 (6a) cf. Luke 2:11; John 3:16.
- Isaiah 9:5 (6b) cf. Matt. 28:18; 1 Cor. 15:24-25.
- Isaiah 9:5 (6c) cf. John 14:26; 15:26.
- Isaiah 9:5 (6e) cf. Luke 2:14; John 14:27.
- Isaiah 9:6 (7a) cf. Luke 1:32-33.