Isa 9:2-21 | ESV | STEP | The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light ; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness , on them has light shone .

b[See ver. 1 above]

am[See ver. 12 above]

an Ps. 83:14; [James 3:5]

ao ch. 24:6

ap[Mic. 7:2]

aq ch. 8:21

ar ch. 49:26; See Deut. 28:53-57

as[ch. 11:13]; See 2 Chr. 28:6-9

atSee ver. 12

Isaiah 9:2-21

2 ^{▼▼Ch 9:1 in Hebrew} ^bThe people ^cwho walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of ^ddeep darkness,
on them has light shone.
3 ^eYou have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with ^fjoy at the harvest,
as they ^gare glad ^hwhen they divide the spoil.
4 ⁱFor the yoke of his burden,
^jand the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as ^kon the day of Midian.
5 ^lFor every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 ^mFor to us a child is born,
to us ⁿa son is given;
^oand the government shall be ^pupon ^{▼▼Or is upon} his shoulder,
and his name shall be called ^{▼▼Or is called}
Wonderful ^sCounselor, ^tMighty God,
^uEverlasting ^vFather, Prince of ^wPeace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
^xthere will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
^ywith justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
^zThe 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,
^aaEphraim 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 ^abThe Syrians on the east and ^acthe Philistines on the west
devour Israel with open mouth.
^adFor all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
13 The people ^aedid not turn to him who struck them,
nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.
14 So the Lord cut off from Israel ^afhead and tail,
palm branch and reed in one day—
15 ^agthe elder and honored man is the head,
and ^ahthe 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 ^airejoice over their young men,
and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows;
for everyone is ^ajgodless and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks ^akfolly. ^{▼▼Or speaks disgraceful things}
^amFor all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burns like ^ana 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 ^aothe people are like fuel for the fire;
^apno one spares another.
20 ^aqThey slice meat on the right, but are still hungry,
and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied;
^areach devours the flesh of his own arm,
21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh;
together they are ^asagainst Judah.
^atFor all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.