< Isaiah 9 >
1 But there shall be no gloom to 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 Gentiles.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light has shone.
3 Thou have multiplied the nation. Thou have 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 have 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 to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, 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 forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart,
10 The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone, the sycamores 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 in front, 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 to him who smote them, nor 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 who teaches lies, he is the tail.
16 For those who lead this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, nor 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.
18 For wickedness burns as the fire. It devours the briers and thorns. Yea, it kindles 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 spares his brother.
20 And he 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 together they shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
