Isaiah 9

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:

In earlier times he made the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali of small value, but after that he gave it glory, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

The people who went in the dark have seen a great light, and for those who were living in the land of the deepest night, the light is shining.

3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.

You have made them very glad, increasing their joy. They are glad before you as men are glad in the time of getting in the grain, or when they make division of the goods taken in war.

4 For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

For by your hand the yoke on his neck and the rod on his back, even the rod of his cruel master, have been broken, as in the day of Midian.

5 For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For every boot of the man of war with his sounding step, and the clothing rolled in blood, will be for burning, food for the fire.

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For to us a child has come, to us a son is given; and the government has been placed in his hands; and he has been named Wise Guide, Strong God, Father for ever, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

Of the increase of his rule and of peace there will be no end, on the seat of David, and in his kingdom; to make it strong, supporting it with wise decision and righteousness, now and for ever. By the fixed purpose of the Lord of armies this will be done.

8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.

The Lord has sent a word to Jacob, and it has come on Israel;

9 All the people will know it— Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:

And all the people will have experience of it, even Ephraim and the men of Samaria, who say in the pride of their uplifted hearts,

10 “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”

The bricks have come down, but we will put up buildings of cut stone in their place: the sycamores are cut down, but they will be changed to cedars.

11 The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together.

For this cause the Lord has made strong the haters of Israel, driving them on to make war against him;

12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

Aram on the east, and the Philistines on the west, who have come against Israel with open mouths. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.

But the heart of the people was not turned to him who sent punishment on them, and they made no prayer to the Lord of armies.

14 So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.

For this cause the Lord took away from Israel head and tail, high and low, in one day.

15 The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.

The man who is honoured and responsible is the head, and the prophet who gives false teaching is the tail.

16 For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

For the guides of this people are the cause of their wandering from the right way, and those who are guided by them come to destruction.

17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

For this cause the Lord will have no pleasure in their young men, and no pity on their widows and the children without fathers: for they are all haters of God and evil-doers, and foolish words come from every mouth. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke.

For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke.

19 By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is scorched, and the people are fuel for the fire. No man even spares his brother.

The land was dark with the wrath of the Lord of armies: the people were like those who take men's flesh for food.

20 They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.

On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.

21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

Manasseh was making a meal of Ephraim, and Ephraim of Manasseh; and together they were attacking Judah. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.