Add parallel Print Page Options

A Second Description of Immanuel:
The Child Who Is Born to Us

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for the land that was in anguish.[a] In former times, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time[b] he will cause it to be glorious, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.[c]

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned.
You have multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy.[d]
They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time,
like the celebration when people divide the plunder.
For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them.
You have broken the bar on their shoulders and
    the rod of their oppressor,
as you did in the day of Midian.
Every boot that marched in battle
and the garments rolled in blood will be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born.
To us a son is given.
The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders.
He will be named:
    Wonderful Counselor,
    Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father,
    Prince of Peace.
There will be no limit to his authority
and no end to the peace he brings.
He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
    from now on, into eternity.
The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.

Judgment on Aram and Samaria

The Lord sent a word against Jacob,
and it falls upon Israel.
All the people will know,
including Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,
who say with pride and with an arrogant heart,
10 “The mud bricks have fallen down,
but we will build with cut stone.
The sycamore fig trees have been cut down,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Then the Lord will raise up Rezin’s adversaries against him,
and he will stir up his enemies.
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
will devour Israel with an open mouth.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.

13 But the people have not returned to the one who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord of Armies.
14 Therefore, in one day the Lord will cut off from Israel
head and tail, palm branch and reed.
15 The elder and the honored man are the head,
and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.
16 It is the leaders of this people who lead them astray,
and those who are led by them are destroyed.
17 Therefore, the Lord will not rejoice over their young men,
nor will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows,
because everyone is godless and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks foolishness.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.

18 Now wickedness burns like a fire.
It devours the briers and thorns.
Look, it flares up in the thickets of the forest,
and it swirls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath of the Lord of Armies, the land is burned up,
and the people are the fuel for the fire.
No one spares his brother.
20 On the right hand they will gobble down food,
    but they will still be hungry.
On the left hand they will keep eating, but they will not be satisfied.
Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm.[e]
21 Manasseh will be against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh,
and together they will be against Judah.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 Literally for her who was in anguish
  2. Isaiah 9:1 The term latter time usually refers to the distant future, often to the end times, the Messianic era.
  3. Isaiah 9:1 Verse 9:1 in English is verse 8:23 in Hebrew. Throughout the rest of chapter 9, the English verse numbers are one number higher than the Hebrew numbers.
  4. Isaiah 9:3 The translation follows a Hebrew reading in the margin. The main reading of the Hebrew text is you have not increased their joy.
  5. Isaiah 9:20 Or his own offspring

[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(A) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(B) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness(C)
    have seen a great light;(D)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(E)
    a light has dawned.(F)
You have enlarged the nation(G)
    and increased their joy;(H)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.(I)
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(J)
    you have shattered(K)
the yoke(L) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,(M)
    the rod of their oppressor.(N)
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(O)
    will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,(P)
    to us a son is given,(Q)
    and the government(R) will be on his shoulders.(S)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(T) Mighty God,(U)
    Everlasting(V) Father,(W) Prince of Peace.(X)
Of the greatness of his government(Y) and peace(Z)
    there will be no end.(AA)
He will reign(AB) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice(AC) and righteousness(AD)
    from that time on and forever.(AE)
The zeal(AF) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

The Lord has sent a message(AG) against Jacob;
    it will fall on Israel.
All the people will know it—
    Ephraim(AH) and the inhabitants of Samaria(AI)
who say with pride
    and arrogance(AJ) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
    but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(AK)
the fig(AL) trees have been felled,
    but we will replace them with cedars.(AM)
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(AN) foes against them
    and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(AO) from the east and Philistines(AP) from the west
    have devoured(AQ) Israel with open mouth.

Yet for all this, his anger(AR) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(AS)

13 But the people have not returned(AT) to him who struck(AU) them,
    nor have they sought(AV) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed(AW) in a single day;(AX)
15 the elders(AY) and dignitaries(AZ) are the head,
    the prophets(BA) who teach lies(BB) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(BC) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(BE)
    nor will he pity(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(BG) and wicked,(BH)
    every mouth speaks folly.(BI)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(BJ)

18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;(BK)
    it consumes briers and thorns,(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,(BM)
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;(BP)
    they will not spare one another.(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;(BR)
on the left they will eat,(BS)
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;(BT)
    together they will turn against Judah.(BU)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.(BV)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
  2. Isaiah 9:20 Or arm