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:

At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.

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 that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

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.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.

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 the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou best overcome, as in the day of Median.

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

For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel 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 a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the 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.

His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

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

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon 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 of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:

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 are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.

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

And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:

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.

The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth, For all this his indignation 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.

And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.

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

And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day.

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

The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

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

And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong.

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.

Therefore the Lord shell have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his bend 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 wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

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.

By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

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.

And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shell eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.

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.

After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.