Isaiah 9
1599 Geneva Bible
9 1 The vocation of the Gentiles. 6 A prophecy of Christ. 14 The destruction of the ten tribes for their pride and contempt of God.
1 Yet [a]the darkness shall not be according to the affliction, [b]that it had when at the first he touched lightly the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, nor afterward when he was more grievous by the way of the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of [c]the Gentiles.
2 The people that [d]walked in darkness, have seen a great [e]light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the [f]light shined.
3 Thou hast [g]multiplied the nation, and not increased their joy: they have rejoiced before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide a spoil.
4 For the [h]yoke of their burden, and the staff of their shoulder, and the rod of their oppressor hast thou broken, as in the day of Midian.
5 Surely every battle of the warrior is with noise, and with tumbling of garments in blood: but this shall be [i]with burning, and devouring of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given: and the government is upon his shoulder, and he shall call his name, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting [j]Father, The prince of peace.
7 The increase of his government and peace shall have none end: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to stablish it with judgment, and with justice, from henceforth, even forever: [k]the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
8 ¶ The Lord hath sent a word into Jacob, and it lighted upon [l]Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and presumption of their heart,
10 The [m]bricks are fallen, but we will build it with hewn stones: the wild fig trees are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
11 Nevertheless, the Lord will raise up the adversaries of [n]Rezin against him, and join his enemies together.
12 Aram before and the Philistines behind, and they shall devour Israel with open mouth: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.
14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush in one day.
15 The ancient and the honorable man, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
16 For the leaders of the people cause them to err: and they that are led by them are devoured.
17 Therefore shall the Lord have no pleasure in their young men, neither will he have compassion of their fatherless and of their widows: for everyone is an hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth speaketh folly: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness [o]burneth as a fire: it devoureth the briers and the thorns, and will kindle in the thick places of the forest: and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
19 By the wrath of the Lord of hosts shall the land be darkened, and the people shall be as the meat of the fire: no man shall [p]spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch at the right hand, and be hungry: and he shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be satisfied: everyone shall eat the [q]flesh of his own arm.
21 Manasseh Ephraim: and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall be against Judah: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 He comforteth the Church again after these great threatenings, promising to restore them to great glory in Messiah.
- Isaiah 9:1 Wherewith Israel was punished, first by Tiglath-pilesar, which was a light scourge in respect of that which they suffered afterward by Shalmaneser, who carried the Israelites away captives.
- Isaiah 9:1 Whereas the Jews and Gentiles dwelt together by reason of those twenty cites, which Solomon gave to Hiram.
- Isaiah 9:2 Which were captivity in Babylon: and the Prophet speaketh of that thing which should come to pass threescore years after, as though it were now done.
- Isaiah 9:2 Meaning, the comfort of their deliverance.
- Isaiah 9:2 This captivity and deliverance were figures of our captivity by sin, and of our deliverance by Christ through the preaching of the Gospel, Matt. 4:15, 16.
- Isaiah 9:3 Their number was greater when they went into captivity, than when they returned, but their joy was greater at their return, Hag. 2:9.
- Isaiah 9:4 Thou gavest them perfect joy by delivering them, and by destroying the tyrants, that had kept them in cruel bondage, as thou didst deliver them by Gideon from the Midianites, Judg. 7:21.
- Isaiah 9:5 He speaketh of the deliverance of his Church, which he hath delivered miraculously from his enemies, but especially by the coming of Christ, of whom he prophesieth in the next verse.
- Isaiah 9:6 The author of eternity, and by whom the Church and every member thereof shall be preserved forever, and have immortal life.
- Isaiah 9:7 His singular love and care for his elect.
- Isaiah 9:8 This is another prophecy against them of Samaria, which were mockers and contemners of God’s promises and menaces.
- Isaiah 9:10 We were but weak, when the enemy overcame us, but we will make ourselves so strong, that we will neither care for our enemies, nor fear God’s threatenings.
- Isaiah 9:11 Rezin king of Syria, who was in league with Israel, was slain by the Assyrians, after whose death Aram, that is, the Syrians were against Israel, which on the other side were assailed by the Philistines.
- Isaiah 9:18 Wickedness as a bellows kindleth the fire of God’s wrath, which consumeth all his obstinate enemies.
- Isaiah 9:19 Though there were no foreign enemy, yet they shall destroy one another.
- Isaiah 9:20 Their greediness shall be insatiable, so that one brother shall eat up another, as though he should eat his own flesh.
Isaiah 9
Contemporary English Version
9 (A) But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain.[a] The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
War Is Over
2 (B) Those who walked in the dark
have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3 Our Lord, you have made
your nation stronger.[b]
Because of you, its people
are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
what they have taken.
4 You have broken the power
of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
from Midian.[c]
5 The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
have been fed to flames
and eaten by fire.
A Child Has Been Born
6 A child has been born for us.
We have been given a son
who will be our ruler.
His names will be
Wonderful Advisor
and Mighty God,
Eternal Father
and Prince of Peace.
7 (C) His power will never end;
peace will last forever.
He will rule David's kingdom
and make it grow strong.
He will always rule
with honesty and justice.
The Lord All-Powerful
will make certain
that all of this is done.
God Will Punish Israel
8 The Lord had warned the people of Israel, 9 and all of them knew it, including everyone in the capital city of Samaria. But they were proud and stubborn and said,
10 “Houses of brick and sycamore
have fallen to the ground,
but we will build houses
with stones and cedar.”
11 The Lord made their enemies[d] attack them. 12 He sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel. But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them.[e] 13 The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.
14 In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches. 15 Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail. 16 They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. 17 The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him.[f] They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.
18 Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke. 19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other 20 like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives.[g] But still they were not satisfied. 21 The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other, then joined forces to attack Judah. But the Lord was still angry and ready to punish the nation even more.
Footnotes
- 9.1 will … pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 9.3 stronger: Or “happy” or “larger.”
- 9.4 rescued … from Midian: The time when Gideon defeated the people of Midian in Jezreel Valley (see Judges 6–8).
- 9.11 their enemies: Hebrew “the enemies of Rezin.”
- 9.12 so … them: Or “but he hasn't given up on them yet.”
- 9.17 and kept … against him: Or “but even though they had turned against him, he still had not given up on them.”
- 9.20 their own relatives: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 9
New King James Version
The Government of the Promised Son(A)
9 Nevertheless (B)the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at (C)first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
And (D)afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 (E)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.
3 You have multiplied the nation
And [a]increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice (F)when they divide the spoil.
4 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 (G)Midian.
5 For every warrior’s [b]sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
(H)Will be used for burning and fuel [c]of fire.
6 (I)For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a (J)Son is given;
And (K)the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
(L)Wonderful, Counselor, (M)Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, (N)Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
(O)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 (P)zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
The Punishment of Samaria
8 The Lord sent a word against (Q)Jacob,
And it has fallen on Israel.
9 All the people will know—
Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria—
Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
But we will rebuild with hewn stones;
The sycamores are cut down,
But we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Therefore the Lord shall set up
The adversaries of Rezin against him,
And spur his enemies on,
12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind;
And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is [d]stretched out still.
13 For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them,
Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.
14 Therefore the Lord will cut off head and tail from Israel,
Palm branch and bulrush (R)in one day.
15 The elder and honorable, he is the head;
The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
16 For (S)the leaders of this people cause them to err,
And those who are led by them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the Lord (T)will have no joy in their young men,
Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows;
For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer,
And every mouth speaks [e]folly.
(U)For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness (V)burns as the fire;
It shall devour the briers and thorns,
And kindle in the thickets of the forest;
They shall mount up like rising smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts
(W)The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire;
(X)No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall [f]snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand
(Y)And not be satisfied;
(Z)Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.
21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh;
Together they shall be (AA)against Judah.
(AB)For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:3 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., Vg. not increased joy; LXX Most of the people You brought down in Your joy
- Isaiah 9:5 boot
- Isaiah 9:5 for the fire
- Isaiah 9:12 In judgment
- Isaiah 9:17 foolishness
- Isaiah 9:20 slice off or tear
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
