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.
But the darkness shall not remain where now is distress; Of old he brought the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali into contempt; In future times shall he bring the land of the sea beyond Jordan, the circle of the gentiles, into honor.
2 People walking in the dark will see a bright light; a light will shine on those living in a land of total darkness.
The people that walk in darkness behold a great light; They who dwell in the land of death-like shade, Upon them a light shineth.
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.
Thou enlargest the nation; Thou increasest their joy; They rejoice before thee with the joy of harvest, With the joy of those who 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.
For thou breakest their heavy yoke, And the rod that smote their backs, And the scourge of the taskmaster, As in the day of Midian.
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 every greave of the warrior in battle, And the war-garment rolled in blood, Shall be burned; yea, it shall be food for the 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 to us a child is born, To us a son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder, And he shall be called Wonderful, counsellor, mighty potentate, Everlasting father, prince of peace;
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 dominion shall be great, And peace without end shall be upon the throne of David and his kingdom, To fix and establish it Through justice and equity, Henceforth and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will do this.
8 The Lord has sent a message directed against Jacob, and its consequences will fall upon Israel.
The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.
9 All the people will soon realize it—Ephraim and the people who live in Samaria. Proudly and arrogantly they say,
His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of 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 we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's enemies against Israel and has encouraged them.
Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;
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.
The Syrians before, the Philistines behind, Who shall devour Israel with wide jaws. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
13 But the people didn't return to the one who punished them; they didn't come to worship the Lord Almighty.
The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.
14 So in just a single day the Lord will chop off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed.
Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.
15 Elders and honorable people are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.
[[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]
16 The people's leaders have misled them; those who were guided by them are confused.
For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.
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 shall the Lord have no joy in their young men, And on their orphans and widows he shall have no compassion; For they are all profane, and evil-doers; Every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.
For wickedness burneth like a fire, It consumeth the briers and thorns, And it kindleth the thicket of the forest, So that it goeth up in columns of smoke.
19 The anger of the Lord Almighty burns the land. People are like fuel for the fire, and nobody tries to help anyone else.
Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.
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!
They consume on the right hand, and yet are hungry; They devour on the left, and are not satisfied; Every one devoureth the flesh of his 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.
Manasseh is against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, And both together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
