Isaiah 9
1 For [there will be] no gloom on her who [is] distressed as at the former time. The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, So the latter has honored the way of the sea, Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
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.
2 The people who are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light has shone on them.
People walking in the dark will see a bright light; a light will shine on those living in a land of total darkness.
3 You have multiplied the nation, You have made its joy great, They have rejoiced before You as the joy in harvest, As [men] rejoice in their apportioning spoil.
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.
4 Because the yoke of its burden, And the staff of its shoulder, the rod of its exactor, You have broken as [in] the day of Midian.
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.
5 For every battle of a warrior [is] with rushing, and raiment rolled in blood, And it has been for burning—fuel of fire.
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.
6 For a Child has been born to us, A Son has been given to us, And the dominion is on His shoulder, And He calls His Name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
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.
7 Of the increase of [His] dominion, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on His kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, From now on, even for all time, The zeal of YHWH of Hosts does this.
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.
8 The Lord has sent a word into Jacob, And it has fallen in Israel.
The Lord has sent a message directed against Jacob, and its consequences will fall upon Israel.
9 And the people have known—all of it, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, In pride and in greatness of heart, saying,
All the people will soon realize it—Ephraim and the people who live in Samaria. Proudly and arrogantly they say,
10 “Bricks have fallen, and we build hewn work, Sycamores have been cut down, and we renew cedars.”
“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.”
11 And YHWH sets the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And he joins his enemies together,
But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's enemies against Israel and has encouraged them.
12 Aram from before, and Philistia from behind, And they devour Israel with the whole mouth. With all this His anger has not turned back, And His hand is still stretched out.
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.
13 And the people has not turned back to Him who is striking it, And they have not sought YHWH of Hosts.
But the people didn't return to the one who punished them; they didn't come to worship the Lord Almighty.
14 And YHWH cuts off head and tail from Israel, Branch and reed—the same day.
So in just a single day the Lord will chop off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed.
15 Elderly and accepted of faces—he [is] the head, And prophet teaching falsehood—he [is] the tail.
Elders and honorable people are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16 And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogized ones are consumed.
The people's leaders have misled them; those who were guided by them are confused.
17 Therefore, the Lord does not rejoice over its young men, And He does not pity its orphans and its widows, For everyone [is] profane, and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking folly. With all this His anger has not turned back, And His hand is still stretched out.
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.
18 For wickedness has burned as a fire, It devours brier and thorn, And it kindles in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!
For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.
19 In the wrath of YHWH of Hosts The land has been consumed, And the people is as fuel of fire; A man has no pity on his brother,
The anger of the Lord Almighty burns the land. People are like fuel for the fire, and nobody tries to help anyone else.
20 And cuts down on the right, and has been hungry, And he devours on the left, And they have not been satisfied, They each devour the flesh of his own arm.
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!
21 Manasseh—Ephraim, and Ephraim—Manasseh, Together they [are] against Judah, With all this His anger has not turned back. And His hand is still stretched out!
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.
