Isaiah 9

1 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.

But there shall be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he has made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2 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.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.

3 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.

You have multiplied the nation. You have increased their joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the plunder.

4 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.

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as in the day of Midian.

5 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.

For all the armour of the armed man in the noisy battle, and the garments rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

6 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;

For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 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.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this.

8 The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it falls on Israel.

9 His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of heart,

All the people will know, including Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart,

10 “The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”

“The bricks have fallen, but we will build with cut stone. The sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”

11 Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;

Therefore the LORD will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies,

12 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.

The Syrians in front, and the Philistines behind; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.

Yet the people have not turned to him who struck them, neither have they sought the LORD of Hosts.

14 Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.

Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day.

15 [[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]

The elder and the honourable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.

For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed.

17 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.

Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 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.

For wickedness burns like a fire. It devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.

Through the LORD of Hosts’ wrath, the land is burnt up; and the people are the fuel for the fire. No one spares his brother.

20 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.

One will devour on the right hand, and be hungry; and he will eat on the left hand, and they will not be satisfied. Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm:

21 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.

Manasseh eating Ephraim and Ephraim eating Manasseh, and they together will be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.