19 And when they say to you, (A)“Seek those who are mediums and wizards, (B)who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they (C)seek the dead on behalf of the living? 20 (D)To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because (E)there[a] is no light in them.

21 They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and (F)curse [b]their king and their God, and look upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

The Government of the Promised Son(G)

Nevertheless (H)the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at (I)first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
And (J)afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles.
(K)The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation
And [c]increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice (L)when they divide the spoil.
For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of (M)Midian.
For every warrior’s [d]sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
(N)Will be used for burning and fuel [e]of fire.

(O)For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a (P)Son is given;
And (Q)the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
(R)Wonderful, Counselor, (S)Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, (T)Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
(U)There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The (V)zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 8:20 Or they have no dawn
  2. Isaiah 8:21 Or by their king and by their God
  3. Isaiah 9:3 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., Vg. not increased joy; LXX Most of the people You brought down in Your joy
  4. Isaiah 9:5 boot
  5. Isaiah 9:5 for the fire

The Darkness Turns to Light

19 When someone tells you to consult(A) mediums and spiritists,(B) who whisper and mutter,(C) should not a people inquire(D) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction(E) and the testimony of warning.(F) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light(G) of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry,(H) they will roam through the land;(I) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse(J) their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,(K) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.(L)

[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(M) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(N) 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(O)
    have seen a great light;(P)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(Q)
    a light has dawned.(R)
You have enlarged the nation(S)
    and increased their joy;(T)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.(U)
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(V)
    you have shattered(W)
the yoke(X) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,(Y)
    the rod of their oppressor.(Z)
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(AA)
    will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,(AB)
    to us a son is given,(AC)
    and the government(AD) will be on his shoulders.(AE)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(AF) Mighty God,(AG)
    Everlasting(AH) Father,(AI) Prince of Peace.(AJ)
Of the greatness of his government(AK) and peace(AL)
    there will be no end.(AM)
He will reign(AN) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice(AO) and righteousness(AP)
    from that time on and forever.(AQ)
The zeal(AR) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.