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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 the yoke of his burden, the beam across his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have shattered as on the day of Midian.
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 boot treading in the tumult and the garments rolled in blood will 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 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 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 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 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 sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel.
The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.
9 All the people will know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and with an arrogant heart,
His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of 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 we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Therefore Yahweh will raise up against him Rezin, his adversary, and will stir up his enemies,
Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;
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.
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 Yet the people will not turn to him who struck them, nor will they seek Yahweh of hosts.
The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.
14 Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.
Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.
15 The leader and the noble man are the head; and the prophet that teaches lies is the tail.
[[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]
16 Those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up.
For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.
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 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 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.
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 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.
Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.
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.
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 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.
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.
