Isaiah 9

1 As the former time made light The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, So the latter hath honoured the way of the sea, Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

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 The people who are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light hath shone upon them.

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 Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast made great its joy, They have joyed before Thee as the joy in harvest, As [men] rejoice in their apportioning spoil.

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 Because the yoke of its burden, And the staff of its shoulder, the rod of its exactor, Thou hast broken as [in] the day of Midian.

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 For every battle of a warrior [is] with rushing, and raiment rolled in blood, And it hath been for burning — fuel of fire.

For every boot treading in the tumult and the garments rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire.

6 For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of 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 To the increase of the princely power, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on his kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, Henceforth, even unto the age, The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts doth this.

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 A word hath the Lord sent into Jacob, And it hath fallen in Israel.

The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel.

9 And the people have known — all of it, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, In pride and in greatness of heart, saying,

All the people will know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and with an arrogant heart,

10 'Bricks have fallen, and hewn work we build, Sycamores have been cut down, and cedars we renew.'

“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 And Jehovah setteth the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And his enemies he joineth together,

Therefore Yahweh will raise up against him Rezin, his adversary, and will stir up his enemies,

12 Aram from before, and Philistia from behind, And they devour Israel with the whole mouth. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is stretched out.

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 And the people hath not turned back unto Him who is smiting it, And Jehovah of Hosts they have not sought.

Yet the people will not turn to him who struck them, nor will they seek Yahweh of hosts.

14 And Jehovah cutteth off from Israel head and tail, Branch and reed — the same day,

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

15 Elder, and accepted of face, he [is] the head, Prophet, teacher of falsehood, he [is] the tail.

The leader and the noble man are the head; and the prophet that teaches lies is the tail.

16 And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogised ones are consumed.

Those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up.

17 Therefore, over its young men the Lord rejoiceth not, And its orphans, and its widows He pitieth not, For every one [is] profane, and an evil doer, And every mouth is speaking folly. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is stretched out.

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 For burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!

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 In the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts Hath the land been consumed, And the people is as fuel of fire; A man on his brother hath no pity,

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 And cutteth down on the right, and hath been hungry, And he devoureth on the left, And they have not been satisfied, Each the flesh of his own arm they devour.

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 Manasseh — Ephraim, and Ephraim — Manasseh, Together they [are] against Judah, With all this not turned back hath His anger. And still His hand is stretched out!

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.