Isaiah 9
1 However, those in Judah who have been distressed/worried will not [continue to] suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled [the people in] the land [where the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali [live]. But in the future he will honor [the people who live in] that Galilee region, along the road between the Jordan [River] and the [Mediterranean] Sea, where [many] foreigners live.
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 [Some day, it will be as though] [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light. A [great] light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.
O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: you that dwell in the region [and] shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.
3 [Yahweh], you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice; we will become very happy. We will rejoice about what you [have done] like [SIM] people rejoice when they harvest their crops, [or] like soldiers rejoice when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in a battle.
The multitude of the people which you have brought down in your joy, they shall even rejoice before you as they that rejoice in harvest, and as they that divide the spoil.
4 You will cause us to no longer be slaves [MET] [of those who captured us]; you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders. [It will be as though] you will break the rods of those who oppressed us, like you did when you destroyed [the army of] the Midian people-group.
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 The boots that the enemy soldiers have worn and their clothing which has stains of blood on them will all be burned up; they will only be fuel for a [big] 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 Another reason that we will rejoice is that a [special] child will be born for us; [a woman will give birth to] a son, who will be our ruler. And his names will be ‘Wonderful Counselor’, ‘Mighty/Powerful God’, ‘[Our] Everlasting Father’, and ‘Prince/Ruler [who enables us to have] 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 that he [brings/causes], will never end. He will rule [MTY] fairly and justly [DOU], like [his ancestor King] David did. This will happen because the Commander of the armies of angels greatly desires that it 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 warned the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob; he has said that [he will punish] them.
The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel.
9 And all the people in Samaria and [other places in] Israel know that, [but] they are very proud and arrogant [DOU]. They say, “Our city has been destroyed, but we will [take away the broken bricks from the ruins] [and] replace them with carefully cut stones. Our sycamore-fig trees have been cut down [by our enemies], but we will plant cedar trees [in their place].”
And all the people of Ephraim, and they that lived in Samaria shall know, who say in their pride and lofty heart,
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 Yahweh brought the armies of [Assyria], the enemies of King Rezin [of Syria, to fight] against Israel and incited [other] nations [to attack Israel].
And God shall dash down them that rise up against him on mount Sion, and shall scatter his enemies;
12 [The army of] Syria [came] from the east, and [the army of] Philistia [came] from the west, and they destroyed Israel [like a wild animal tears another animal apart and] [MET] devours it. But even after that happened, Yahweh was still very angry with them. He was ready to strike them with his fist again.
[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 even though] Yahweh punished his people [like that], they [still] did not return to him [and worship him]. They [still] did not request the Commander of the armies of angels [to assist them].
But the people turned not until they were struck, and they sought not the Lord.
14 Therefore, in one day Yahweh will get rid of [those who are like] Israel’s head and [those who are like] its tail; the [ones who are like] the top of the palm tree and the [ones who are like] the bottom.
So the Lord took away from Israel the head and tail, great and small, in one day:
15 The leaders [DOU] of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell 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 leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused.
And they that pronounce this people blessed shall mislead them; and they mislead them that they may devour them.
17 For that reason, Yahweh is not pleased with the young men [of Israel], and he does not [even] act mercifully toward the widows and orphans, because they are all ungodly and wicked, and they all say things that are foolish. [But] Yahweh still is angry with them; he is ready to strike them with his fist again.
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 When people do wicked things, it is like [SIM] a brushfire [that spreads rapidly]. It burns up [not only] briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise.
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 [It is as though] the [whole] land is burned [black] because the Commander of the armies of angels is extremely angry with the Israeli people. They will become like [SIM] fuel for that great fire, and no one will try to rescue even his [own] brother [from that fire].
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 Israeli people will attack their neighbors on the right [to get food from them], but they will still be hungry. They will [kill those who live in houses] on the left and eat their flesh, but their stomachs will still not be full.
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 [People of the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim will attack each other, and [then] they will both attack the people of Judah. But even after that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry with them. He will be ready to strike them with his fist again.
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.
