Isaiah 9

1 At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.

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 that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

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 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.

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 their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou best overcome, as in the day of Median.

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 violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be 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 a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the 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 His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform 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 into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

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

9 And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:

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

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.

“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 And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:

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

12 The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth, For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

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 And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.

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

14 And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, 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 aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

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

16 And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong.

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

17 Therefore the Lord shell have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his bend is stretched out still.

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 For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

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 By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare 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 And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shell eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.

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 After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

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.