Isaiah 9

¹But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish . In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali , but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea , the land beyond the Jordan , Galilee of the nations .

²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light ; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness , on them has light shone .

³You have multiplied the nation ; you have increased its joy ; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest , as they are glad when they divide the spoil .

⁴For the yoke of his burden , and the staff for his shoulder , the rod of his oppressor , you have broken as on the day of Midian .

⁵For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire .

⁶For to us a child is born , to us a son is given ; and the government shall be upon his shoulder , and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor , Mighty God , Everlasting Father , Prince of Peace .

⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end , on the throne of David and over his kingdom , to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore . The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this .

⁸The Lord has sent a word against Jacob , and it will fall on Israel ;

⁹and all the people will know , Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria , who say in pride and in arrogance of heart :

¹⁰The bricks have fallen , but we will build with dressed stones ; the sycamores have been cut down , but we will put cedars in their place .

¹¹But the Lord raises the adversaries of Rezin against him, and stirs up his enemies .

¹²The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth . For all this his anger has not turned away , and his hand is stretched out still .

¹³The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the Lord of hosts .

¹⁴So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail , palm branch and reed in one day —

¹⁵the elder and honored man is the head , and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail ;

¹⁶for those who guide this people have been leading them astray , and those who are guided by them are swallowed up .

¹⁷Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over their young men , and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows ; for everyone is godless and an evildoer , and every mouth speaks folly . For all this his anger has not turned away , and his hand is stretched out still .

¹⁸For wickedness burns like a fire ; it consumes briers and thorns ; it kindles the thickets of the forest , and they roll upward in a column of smoke .

¹⁹Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is scorched , and the people are like fuel for the fire ; no one spares another .

²⁰They slice meat on the right , but are still hungry , and they devour on the left , but are not satisfied ; each devours the flesh of his own arm ,

²¹Manasseh devours Ephraim , and Ephraim devours Manasseh ; together they are against Judah . For all this his anger has not turned away , and his hand is stretched out still .