Isaiah 9:1-10

New Light: The Birth of a King

1 {But there will be no gloom for those who were in distress}. In former times he treated [the] land of Zebulun and Naphtali with contempt, but in the future he will honor the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee [of] the nations.

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.

3 You have made the nation numerous; you have not made the joy great. They rejoice in your presence as [with] joy at the harvest, as they rejoice when they divide plunder.

4 For you have shattered the yoke of its burden and the stick of its shoulder, the rod of its oppressor, on the day of Midian.

5 For every boot {that marches and shakes the earth} and garment rolled in blood {will} be for burning--fire fuel.

6 For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 {His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end} on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

Yahweh’s Anger against Arrogance

8 The Lord has sent out a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel.

9 And all of the people knew it, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria in pride and arrogance of heart, saying,

10 "[The] bricks have fallen, but we will build [with] dressed stone. [The] sycamore-fig trees were felled, but we will replace [them with] cedars."

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Isaiah 9:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 9

This chapter contains a prophecy, partly of comfort to the church and people of God, against the calamities predicted in the preceding chapter Isa 8:1-22; and partly of punishment, to be inflicted upon the ungodly Israelites by their enemies. The comfort promised arises from the appearance of Christ, the great light, in some certain places of the land mentioned, said before to be afflicted, Isa 9:1,2 which would occasion a joy among them; illustrated by some similes, by the joy in harvest, and at the dividing of spoils, Isa 9:3 the cause of which is a deliverance from a burdensome yoke of tyranny and bondage, wrought in like manner as that by Gideon formerly; different from all other salvations, which are usually obtained with noise and blood, Isa 9:4,5 the author of which is the Messiah; who is described by his birth as man, and by his divine sonship as God; or by his person, having two natures united in him; and by the government devolved on him; and by his several names, which express the greatness and glory of his person and office; and by the increase and administration of his government, Isa 9:6,7 then follows a denunciation of judgment on Israel, Isa 9:8 the instruments of which are pointed at, Isa 9:11,12, and the persons described that should suffer, high and low, rich and poor, young and old, Isa 9:14,15,17 the reasons of it, their making light of former corrections, Isa 9:9,10 their impenitence and hardness under chastenings, Isa 9:13 their going astray by means of their leaders; and their hypocrisy and wickedness, Isa 9:16-18 all which would occasion the wrath of God to burn against them, and consume them, Isa 9:18,19 yea, through hunger and want of provisions, should destroy one another, Isa 9:20,21.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 10

[a]. Isaiah 9:1-21 in the English Bible is 8:23-9:20 in the Hebrew Bible
[b]. Literally "Indeed there is no gloom for the one to whom there was anxiety for her"
[c]. The written text (Kethib) is "not," but the reading tradition (Qere) is "for it"
[d]. Hebrew "like"; the Hebrew letters for "like" and "on" look alike
[e]. Literally "marching with shaking," which might mean "marching [is] with shaking"
[f]. Literally "and it will"
[g]. Literally "There is no end to the increase of the dominion and to peace"
[h]. Or "for"
[i]. Or "for"
[j]. That is, the kingdom