Isaiah 9
9
A great light
1 # 9.1 8:23 in Heb Nonetheless, those who were in distress won’t be exhausted. At an earlier time, God cursed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but later he glorified the way of the sea, the far side of the Jordan, and the Galilee of the nations.#9.1 Heb uncertain
2 # 9.2 9:1 in Heb The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.
3You have made the nation great;
you have increased its joy.
They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest,
as those who divide plunder rejoice.
4As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them,
the staff on their shoulders,
and the rod of their oppressor.
5Because every boot of the thundering warriors,
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned, fuel for the fire.
6A child is born to us, a son is given to us,
and authority will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7There will be vast authority and endless peace
for David’s throne and for his kingdom,
establishing and sustaining it
with justice and righteousness
now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of heavenly forces will do this.
God’s hand still stretched out
8The Lord sent a word against Jacob;
it fell upon Israel;
9the people all knew it—
Ephraim and the one who rules in Samaria.
But with a proud and arrogant heart they said,
10“Bricks have fallen,
but let’s rebuild with stones.
Sycamores were cut down,
but let’s replace them with cedars.”
11So the LORD raised up their foes against them,#9.11 Or the enemies of Rezin
and stirred up their enemies—
12Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west—
and they devoured Israel with an open mouth.
Even then God’s anger didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.
13But the people didn’t turn to the one who struck them.
They didn’t seek the LORD of heavenly forces.
14So the LORD cut off head and tail,
palm branch and reed from Israel in one day.
15(Elders and celebrities are the head;
prophets who teach lies are the tail.)
16But this people’s leaders were misleading,
and those being led were confused.
17So the Lord showed their youth no pity,
and showed their orphans and widows no mercy;
for everyone was godless and evil;
every mouth spoke nonsense.
Even then God’s anger didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.
18Wickedness burned like fire,
devouring thorn and thistle.
It kindled the thickets of the forest;
they swirled in rising smoke.
19The land was scorched by the rage of the LORD of heavenly forces;
the people were like fuel for the fire.
Not one person pitied another:
20they consumed on the right, but remained hungry;
devoured on the left, and weren’t satisfied.
They devoured the flesh of their own children.#9.20 Or arm
21Manasseh devoured Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh;
together they turned against Judah.
Even then God’s anger didn’t turn away;
God’s hand was still extended.
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Isaiah 9: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 9
9
1 #
Mt 4.15
There will be no way for them to escape from this time of trouble.
The Future King
The land of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali was once disgraced, but the future will bring honour to this region, from the Mediterranean eastwards to the land on the other side of the Jordan, and even to Galilee itself, where the foreigners live.
2 #
Mt 4.16; Lk 1.79 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
They lived in a land of shadows,
but now light is shining on them.
3You have given them great joy,#9.3 Probable text You have given them great joy; Hebrew You have increased the nation. LORD;
you have made them happy.
They rejoice in what you have done,
as people rejoice when they harvest their corn
or when they divide captured wealth.
4For you have broken the yoke that burdened them
and the rod that beat their shoulders.
You have defeated the nation
that oppressed and exploited your people,
just as you defeated the army of Midian long ago.
5The boots of the invading army
and all their bloodstained clothing
will be destroyed by fire.
6A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful#9.6 Wonderful; or Wise. Counsellor”,
“Mighty God”, “Eternal Father”,
“Prince of Peace”.
7 #
Lk 1.32–33
His royal power will continue to grow;
his kingdom will always be at peace.
He will rule as King David's successor,
basing his power on right and justice,
from now until the end of time.
The LORD Almighty is determined to do all this.
The LORD will Punish Israel
8The Lord has pronounced judgement on the kingdom of Israel, on the descendants of Jacob. 9All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say, 10“The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycomore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar.”
11The LORD has stirred up their enemies#9.11 Probable text their enemies; Hebrew the enemies of Rezin. to attack them. 12Syria on the east and Philistia on the west have opened their mouths to devour Israel. Yet even so the LORD's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.
13The people of Israel have not repented; even though the LORD Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him. 14In a single day the LORD will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail. 15The old and honourable men are the head — and the tail is the prophets whose teachings are lies! 16Those who lead these people have misled them and totally confused them. 17And so the Lord will not let any of the young men escape, and he will not show pity to any of the widows and orphans, because all the people are godless and wicked and everything they say is evil. Yet even so the LORD's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.
18The wickedness of the people burns like a fire that destroys thorn bushes and thistles. It burns like a forest fire that sends up columns of smoke. 19Because the LORD Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is everyone for himself. 20Everywhere in the country people snatch and eat any bit of food they can find, but their hunger is never satisfied. They even eat their own children! 21The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the LORD's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.