Isaiah 9
1 Even so, there will be no more darkness for those who suffered. In the past he humiliated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will bring honor to Galilee of the foreigners that is on the route that leads from Jordan to the sea.
Drink this first. Act quickly, O land of Zabulon, land of Nephthalim, and the rest [inhabiting] the sea-coast, and [the land] beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 People walking in the dark will see a bright light; a light will shine on those living in a land of total darkness.
O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: ye that dwell in the region [and] shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.
3 You will make the nation grow enormously, and will make it extremely happy. The people will celebrate before you as people celebrate at harvest time, as soldiers celebrate when dividing up what has been looted.
The multitude of the people which thou hast brought down in thy joy, they shall even rejoice before thee as they that rejoice in harvest, and as they that divide the spoil.
4 For you will smash the yoke that burdens them down, the bar across their shoulders, and the oppressors' rod used to beat them just as you did when you defeated the Midianite army.
Because the yoke that was laid upon them has been taken away, and the rod that was on their neck: for he has broken the rod of the exactors, as in the day of Madiam.
5 For every army boot that noisily trampled people down, and every uniform soaked in blood—they are going to be burned, fuel for the fire.
For they shall compensate for every garment that has been acquired by deceit, and [all] raiment with restitution; and they shall be willing, [even] if they were burnt with fire.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us. He will bear the responsibility to rule. 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, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.
7 His rule and the peace he brings know no limits and will never come to an end. He will sit on David's throne and rule his kingdom, making it secure. He will operate from principles of justice and goodness, from the time he begins his rule and for all eternity. The Lord Almighty is determined to make this happen.
His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: [it shall be] upon the throne of David, and [upon] his kingdom, to establish it, and to support [it] with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The seal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.
8 The Lord has sent a message directed against Jacob, and its consequences will fall upon Israel.
The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel.
9 All the people will soon realize it—Ephraim and the people who live in Samaria. Proudly and arrogantly they say,
And all the people of Ephraim, and they that dwelt in Samaria shall know, who say in their pride and lofty heart,
10 “The brick buildings have collapsed, but we will rebuild them with dressed stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
The bricks are fallen down, but come, let us hew stones, and cut down sycamores and cedars, and let us build for ourselves a tower.
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's enemies against Israel and has encouraged them.
And God shall dash down them that rise up against him on mount Sion, and shall scatter his enemies;
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have greedily eaten swallowed Israel up. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
[even] Syria from the rising of the sun, and the Greeks from the setting of the sun, who devour Israel with open mouth. For all this [his] anger is not turned away, but still [his] hand is exalted.
13 But the people didn't return to the one who punished them; they didn't come to worship the Lord Almighty.
But the people turned not until they were smitten, and they sought not the Lord.
14 So in just a single day the Lord will chop off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed.
So the Lord took away from Israel the head and tail, great and small, in one day:
15 Elders and honorable people are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.
the old man, and them that respect persons, this is the head; and the prophet teaching unlawful things, he is the tail.
16 The people's leaders have misled them; those who were guided by them are confused.
And they that pronounce this people blessed shall mislead them; and they mislead them that they may devour them.
17 As a result the Lord isn't pleased with their young men, he has no compassion for their orphans and widows, because all of them are hypocrites and do what's evil—they all talk stupidly. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
Therefore the Lord shall not take pleasure in their young men, neither shall he have pity on their orphans or on their widows: for they are all transgressors and wicked, and every mouth speaks unjustly. For all this [his] anger is not turned away, but [his] hand is yet exalted.
18 For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.
And iniquity shall burn as fire, and shall be devoured by fire as dry grass: and it shall burn in the thickets of the wood, and shall devour all that is round about the hills.
19 The anger of the Lord Almighty burns the land. People are like fuel for the fire, and nobody tries to help anyone else.
The whole earth is set on fire because of the fierce anger of the Lord, and the people shall be as men burnt by fire: no man shall pity his brother.
20 People destroy others on the right, yet they're still hungry for more; people destroy others on the left, but they're still not satisfied. In the end they even destroy themselves!
But [one] shall turn aside to the right hand, for he shall be hungry; and shall eat on the left, and a man shall by no means be satisfied with eating the flesh of his own arm.
21 Manasseh destroys Ephraim, and Ephraim destroys Manasseh. Together they turn to destroy Judah. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
For Manasses shall eat [the flesh] of Ephraim, and Ephraim [the flesh] of Manasses; for they shall besiege Juda together. For all this [his] anger is not turned away, but [his] hand is yet exalted.
