Isa 9:1-20 | ESV | STEP | But 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 .

1 ^{▼▼Ch 8:23 in Hebrew} But there will be no ^bgloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he ^cbrought into contempt the land of ^dZebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he ^ehas made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. ^{▼▼Or of the Gentiles}

2 ^{▼▼Ch 9:1 in Hebrew} ^hThe people ⁱwho walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of ^jdeep darkness,
on them has light shone.
3 ^kYou have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with ^ljoy at the harvest,
as they ^mare glad ⁿwhen they divide the spoil.
4 ^oFor the yoke of his burden,
^pand the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as ^qon the day of Midian.
5 ^rFor every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 ^sFor to us a child is born,
to us ^ta son is given;
^uand the government shall be ^vupon ^{▼▼Or is upon} his shoulder,
and his name shall be called ^{▼▼Or is called}
Wonderful ^yCounselor, ^zMighty God,
^aaEverlasting ^abFather, Prince of ^acPeace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
^adthere will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
^aewith justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
^afThe zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression

8 The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,
and it will fall on Israel;
9 and all the people will know,
^agEphraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,
who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
10 “The bricks have fallen,
but we will build with dressed stones;
the sycamores have been cut down,
but we will put cedars in their place.”
11 But the Lord raises the adversaries of Rezin against him,
and stirs up his enemies.
12 ^ahThe Syrians on the east and ^aithe Philistines on the west
devour Israel with open mouth.
^ajFor all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
13 The people ^akdid not turn to him who struck them,
nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.
14 So the Lord cut off from Israel ^alhead and tail,
palm branch and reed in one day—
15 ^amthe elder and honored man is the head,
and ^anthe prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
16 for those who guide this people have been leading them astray,
and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
17 Therefore the Lord does not ^aorejoice over their young men,
and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows;
for everyone is ^apgodless and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks ^aqfolly. ^{▼▼Or speaks disgraceful things}
^asFor all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burns like ^ata fire;
it consumes briers and thorns;
it kindles the thickets of the forest,
and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts
the land is scorched,
and ^authe people are like fuel for the fire;
^avno one spares another.
20 ^awThey slice meat on the right, but are still hungry,
and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied;
^axeach devours the flesh of his own arm,