Isaiah 9

1 For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district 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 that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

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, Thou hast increased their joy; they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

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, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou hast broken as in 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 stamped with fierceness, and every cloak rolled in blood, shall even be for burning, for fuel of 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 unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;

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 That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth 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 shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and in arrogancy of 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, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but cedars will we put 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 the LORD doth set upon high the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur 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; and they devour Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger 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 Yet the people turneth not unto Him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

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

14 Therefore the LORD doth cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, 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 elder and the man of rank, 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 For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

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

17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is ungodly and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh wantonness. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand 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 burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in thick clouds 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 wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land burnt up; the people also are as the fuel of fire; no man spareth 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 one snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and is not satisfied; they eat every man 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, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together are against Judah. For all this His anger 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.