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:

For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district 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 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 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, 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 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 his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou hast 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 stamped with fierceness, and every cloak rolled in blood, shall even be for burning, for fuel of 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 unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;

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.

That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth 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 shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and in arrogancy of 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, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but cedars will we put in their place.'

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

Therefore the LORD doth set upon high the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur his enemies;

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 Arameans on the east, and the Philistines on the west; and they devour Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger 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.

Yet the people turneth not unto Him that smiteth them, neither do they seek 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.

Therefore the LORD doth cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day.

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

The elder and the man of rank, 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.

For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

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 shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is ungodly and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh wantonness. For all this His anger 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 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 thick 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.

Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land burnt up; the people also are as the fuel of fire; no man spareth 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 one snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and is not satisfied; they eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

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, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together are against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.