Isaiah 9

1The people that walked in darknessHave seen a brilliant light;On those who dwelt in a land of gloomLight has dawned.

2You have magnified that nation,Have given it great joy;They have rejoiced before YouAs they rejoice at reaping time,As they exultWhen dividing spoil.

3For the yoke that they boreAnd the stick on their back—The rod of their taskmaster—You have broken as on the day of Midian.

4Truly, all the boots put on to stamp with And all the garments donned in infamyHave been fed to the flames,Devoured by fire.

5For a child has been born to us,A son has been given us.And authority has settled on his shoulders.He has been named“The Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler”—

6In token of abundant authorityAnd of peace without limitUpon David’s throne and kingdom,That it may be firmly establishedIn justice and in equityNow and evermore.The zeal of GOD of HostsShall bring this to pass.

7The SovereignLet loose a word against JacobAnd it fell upon Israel.

8But all the people noted—Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—In arrogance and haughtiness:

9“Bricks have fallen—We’ll rebuild with dressed stone;Sycamores have been felled—We’ll grow cedars instead!”

10So GOD let the enemies of Rezin Triumph over itAnd stirred up its foes—

11Aram from the eastAnd Philistia from the west—Who devoured IsraelWith greedy mouths.Yet God’s anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.

12For this people has not turned backTo the One who struck it;They have not sought GOD of Hosts.

13So GOD will cut off from IsraelHead and tail,Palm branch and reed,In a single day.

14Elders and magnates—Such are the heads;Prophets who give false instruction,Such are the tails

15That people’s leaders have been misleaders,So those who are led have been confused.

16That is why the SovereignWill not spare. 1QIsᵃ reads yḥmw. their youths,Nor show compassionTo their orphans and widows;For all are ungodly and wicked,And every mouth speaks impiety.

17Already wickedness has blazed forth like a fireDevouring thorn and thistle.It has kindled the thickets of the wood,Which have turned into billowing smoke. Yet God’s anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.

18By the fury of GOD of Hosts,The earth was shaken. Next, the people became like devouring fire:They did not spare each other.

19They snatched on the right, but remained hungry,And consumed on the left without being sated.Each devoured the flesh of its own kindred—

20Manasseh Ephraim’s, and Ephraim Manasseh’s, And both of them against Judah! Yet God’s anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.