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But there won’t be any more sadness for those who were suffering. In the past the Lord brought shame on the land of Zebulun. He also brought shame on the land of Naphtali. But in days to come he will honor Galilee, where people from other nations live. He will honor the land along the Mediterranean Sea. And he will honor the territory east of the Jordan River.

The people who are now living in darkness
    will see a great light.
They are now living in a very dark land.
    But a light will shine on them.
Lord, you will make our nation larger.
    You will increase their joy.
They will show you how glad they are.
    They will be as glad as people are at harvest time.
They will be as glad as warriors are
    when they share the things they’ve taken after a battle.
You set Israel free from Midian long ago.
    In the same way, you will break
the heavy yoke that weighs Israel down.
    You will break the wooden beams that are on their shoulders.
    You will break the rods of those who strike them down.
Every fighting man’s boot that he wore in battle will be burned up.
    So will every piece of clothing covered with blood.
    All of them will be thrown into the fire.
A child will be born to us.
    A son will be given to us.
    He will rule over us.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God.
He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever
    and Prince Who Brings Peace.
There will be no limit to how great his authority is.
    The peace he brings will never end.
He will rule on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom.
    He will make the kingdom strong and secure.
His rule will be based on what is fair and right.
    It will last forever.
The Lord’s great love will make sure that happens.
    He rules over all.

The Lord Is Angry With Israel

The Lord has sent a message against Jacob’s people.
    He will punish Israel.
All the people will know about it.
    Ephraim’s people and those who live in Samaria will know about it.
Their hearts are very proud.
    They say,
10 “The brick buildings have fallen down.
    But we will rebuild them with blocks of stone.
The fig trees have been chopped down.
    But we’ll plant cedar trees in place of them.”
11 In spite of that, the Lord has made Rezin’s enemies stronger.
    He has stirred up Assyria to fight against Israel.
12 Arameans from the east
    have opened their mouths and swallowed up Israel.
    So have Philistines from the west.

Even then, the Lord is still angry.
    His hand is still raised against them.

13 But his people have not returned
    to the God who struck them down.
They haven’t turned for help
    to the Lord who rules over all.
14 So he will cut off from Israel heads and tails alike.
    In a single day he will cut off palm branches and tall grass alike.
The palm branches are the people who rule over others.
    The tall grass is the people who bow down to them.
15 The elders and important leaders are the heads.
    The prophets who teach lies are the tails.
16 Those who guide the people of Israel are leading them down the wrong path.
    So those who follow them aren’t on the right road.
17 The Lord will not be pleased with the young men.
    He won’t take pity on widows and on children whose fathers have died.
All of them are ungodly and evil.
    They say foolish things with their mouths.

Even then, the Lord is still angry.
    His hand is still raised against them.

18 What is evil burns like a fire.
    It burns up bushes and thorns.
It sets the forest on fire.
    It sends up a huge column of smoke.
19 The Lord rules over all.
    When he gets angry, he will burn up the land.
The people will burn in the fire.
    They will not spare one another.
20 People will eat up everything they can find on their right.
    But they’ll still be hungry.
They will eat everything they can find on their left.
    But they won’t be satisfied.
So they will eat the dead bodies of their children.
21     That’s what Manasseh’s people will do to Ephraim.
And that’s what Ephraim’s people will do to Manasseh.
    Together they will turn against Judah.

Even then, the Lord is still angry.
    His hand is still raised against them.

[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