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.
The gloom will be dispelled from her who was in anguish. In an earlier time he humiliated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the later time he will make it glorious, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
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.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who have lived in the land of the shadow of death, the light has shone on them.
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.
You have multiplied the nation; you have increased their joy. They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time, as men rejoice when they divide the plunder.
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.
For the yoke of his burden, the beam across his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have shattered as on the day of Midian.
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 every boot treading in the tumult and the garments rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the 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 to us a child has been born, to us a son has been given; and the rule will be on his shoulder; and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, as he rules on the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and for evermore. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.
8 The Lord has warned the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob; he has said that [he will punish] them.
The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on 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].”
All the people will know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and with an arrogant heart,
“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
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].
Therefore Yahweh will raise up against him Rezin, his adversary, and will stir up 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.
the Arameans on the east, and the Philistines on the west. They will devour Israel with open mouth. In all these things, his anger does not subside; instead, his hand is still stretched out.
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].
Yet the people will not turn to him who struck them, nor will they seek Yahweh of hosts.
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.
Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.
15 The leaders [DOU] of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell lies are the tail.
The leader and the noble man are the head; and the prophet that teaches lies is the tail.
16 The leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused.
Those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up.
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 will not rejoice over their young men nor will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows, since every one is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks foolish things. In all these things, his anger does not subside; instead, his hand is still stretched out.
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.
Wickedness burns like a fire; it devours the briers and thorns; it even burns the thickets of the forest, which rise in a column of smoke.
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].
Through the fury of Yahweh of hosts the land is scorched, and the people are like fuel for the fire. No man spares 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.
They will grab food on the right hand but still be hungry; they will eat food on the left hand but will not be satisfied. Each will even eat 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.
Manasseh will devour Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together will attack Judah. In all these things, his anger does not subside; instead, his hand is still stretched out.
