Isaiah 9

1 In the earlier time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were lifted up. But in the later time, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, was weighed down.

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 who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has risen for the inhabitants of the region of the shadow of death.

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 increased the nation, but you have not increased the rejoicing. They will rejoice before you, like those who rejoice at the harvest, like the victorious exulting after capturing the prey, when they divide the spoils.

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 you have prevailed over the yoke of their burden, and over the rod of their shoulder, and over the scepter of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

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 violent plunder with a tumult, and every garment mixed with blood, will be burned up and will become 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, and unto us a son is given. And leadership is placed upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called: wonderful Counselor, mighty God, father of the future age, 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 His reign will be increased, and there will be no end to his peace. He will sit upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to confirm and strengthen it, in judgment and justice, from now even unto eternity. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall 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 sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.

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

9 And all the people of Ephraim will know it. And the inhabitants of Samaria will say it, in the arrogance and haughtiness of their heart:

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 build with squared stones. They have cut down the sycamores, 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 And the Lord will raise up the enemies of Rezin over him, and he will turn his adversaries into a tumult:

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

12 the Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west. And they will devour Israel with their whole mouth. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

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 And the people did not return to the One who struck them, and 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 And so, the Lord will disperse, away from Israel, the head and the tail, he who bows down and he who refrains, in one day.

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

15 The long-lived and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

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

16 And those who deceitfully praise this people, and those who are praised, will be thrown down violently.

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 For this reason, the Lord will not rejoice over their youths. And he will not take pity on their orphans and widows. For each one is a hypocrite, and each one is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

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 impiety has been kindled like a fire: it will devour brier and thorn, and it will burn in the dense forest, and it will be interwoven with the ascending 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 The earth has been shaken by the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and the people will become like fuel for the fire. A man will not spare his own 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 And he will turn toward the right, and he will be hungry. And he will eat toward the left, and he will not be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they will be against Judah.

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 After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

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.