Isaiah 9
1 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 boot treading in the tumult and the garments rolled in blood will 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 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.
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 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.
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 sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel.
The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel.
9 All the people will know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and with an arrogant heart,
And all the people of Ephraim, and they that lived in Samaria shall know, who say in their pride and lofty heart,
10 “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.”
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 Therefore Yahweh will raise up against him Rezin, his adversary, and will stir up his enemies,
And God shall dash down them that rise up against him on mount Sion, and shall scatter his enemies;
12 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.
[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 Yet the people will not turn to him who struck them, nor will they seek Yahweh of hosts.
But the people turned not until they were struck, and they sought not the Lord.
14 Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.
So the Lord took away from Israel the head and tail, great and small, in one day:
15 The leader and the noble man are the head; and the prophet that teaches lies is 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 Those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up.
And they that pronounce this people blessed shall mislead them; and they mislead them that they may devour them.
17 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
