Isaiah 9

1 In the first time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali was alighted, either released; and at the last, the way of the sea beyond Jordan, of Galilee of heathen men, was made heavy. (At first, the lands of Zebulun and of Naphtali were dealt with lightly; but later, the way to the sea from the Jordan River, yea, of Galilee of the heathen, was dealt with heavily.)

2 The people that went in darknesses saw a great light; when men dwelled in the country of [the] shadow of death, light rose up to them. (The people who went in darkness saw a great light; where people lived in the country of the shadow of death, the light rose upon them.)

3 Thou multipliedest folk, thou magnifiedest not gladness (Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased their happiness); they shall be glad before thee, as they that be glad in harvest, (and) as overcomers make full out joy, when they have taken a prey, when they part the spoils.

4 For thou hast overcome the yoke of his burden, and the rod of his shoulder, and the sceptre of his wrongful asker, as in the day of Midian.

5 For why all violent raven (gotten) with noise, and a cloth meddled with blood, shall be into burning, and the meat of fire. (For all the violent raven taken in tumult, and a cloak mixed, or covered, with blood, shall be into burning, and food for the fire.)

6 Forsooth a little child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and princehood is made on his shoulder (But a little child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and princehood is placed upon his shoulders); and his name shall be called Wonderful, A counsellor, God, Strong, Father of the world to coming, A prince of peace [and his name shall be called Marvellous, Counsellor, God, Strong, Father of the world to come, Prince of peace].

7 His empire shall be multiplied, and none end shall be of his peace; he shall sit on the seat of David, and on the realm of him, that he confirm it, and make (it) strong in doom and rightfulness, from henceforth and till into without end. The fervent love of the Lord of hosts shall make this (happen). (His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end to his peace; he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, so that he can establish it, and make it strong in justice, or in judgement, and righteousness, from henceforth until forever. The fervent love of the Lord of hosts shall make this happen.)

8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it fell in Israel. (The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.)

9 And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and they that dwell in Samaria (and they who live in Samaria), saying in the pride and greatness of heart,

10 Tilestones fell down (The bricks fell down), but we shall build with square stones; they have cut down (the) sycamores, but we shall (ex)change (them for) cedars.

11 And the Lord shall raise (up) the enemies of Rezin on him, and he shall turn the enemies of him into noise; (And the Lord shall raise up Rezin's enemies against him, and his enemies shall attack him;)

12 God shall make Syria to come from the east, and (the) Philistines from the west; and with all the mouth they shall devour Israel. In all these things the strong vengeance of the Lord is not turned away, but yet his hand is stretched forth;

13 and the people is not turned again to the Lord smiting it, and they sought not the Lord of hosts. (and still the people did not turn again to the Lord/and still the people did not return to the Lord, who struck them, yea, they did not seek out the Lord of hosts.)

14 And the Lord shall lose from Israel the head and the tail, [the] crooking and [the] beshrewing, either (the) refraining, in one day. (And the Lord shall destroy in Israel the head and the tail, yea, the crooked and the depraved, all in one day.)

15 An eld man and honourable, he is the head; and a prophet teaching leasing, he is the tail. (An old and honourable man, he is the head; and a prophet teaching lies, he is the tail.)

16 And they that bless his people, shall be deceivers, and they that be blessed, shall be cast down. (And they who bless his people, shall be deceivers, and they who be blessed, shall be cast down.)

17 For this thing the Lord shall not be glad on the young men thereof, and he shall not have mercy on the fatherless children and widows thereof; for each man is an hypocrite and wayward, and each mouth spake folly. In all these things the strong vengeance of him is not turned away, but yet his hand is stretched forth; and the people is not turned again to the Lord smiting it (and still the people did not turn again to the Lord/and still the people did not return to the Lord, who struck them).

18 For why wickedness is kindled as fire; it shall devour the briars and thorns, and it shall be kindled in the thickness of the forest, and it shall be wrapped (al)together in the pride of smoke. (For wickedness is kindled like a fire; it shall devour the briars and thorns, and it shall be kindled in the thickness of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in a pall, or in a column, of smoke.)

19 In the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land shall be troubled, and the people shall be as the meat of fire (and the people shall become food for the fire); a man shall not spare his brother.

20 And he shall bow to the right half, and he shall hunger, and he shall eat at the left half, and he shall not be [ful]filled; each man shall devour the flesh of his arm. (And one person shall turn to the right, and he shall still have hunger, and another shall eat on the left, and he shall not be fulfilled; and everyone shall devour the flesh of their own children.)

21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim shall devour Manasseh, and they together against Judah. In all these things the strong vengeance of him is not turned away, but yet his hand is stretched forth.

Isaiah 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The Son that should be born, and his kingdom. (1-7) The judgments to come upon Israel, and on the enemies of the kingdom of Christ. (8-21)

Verses 1-7 The Syrians and Assyrians first ravaged the countries here mentioned, and that region was first favoured by the preaching of Christ. Those that want the gospel, walk in darkness, and in the utmost danger. But when the gospel comes to any place, to any soul, light comes. Let us earnestly pray that it may shine into our hearts, and make us wise unto salvation. The gospel brings joy with it. Those who would have joy, must expect to go through hard work, as the husbandman, before he has the joy of harvest; and hard conflict, as the soldier, before he divides the spoil. The Jews were delivered from the yoke of many oppressors; this was a shadow of the believer's deliverance from the yoke of Satan. The cleansing the souls of believers from the power and pollution of sin, would be by the influence of the Holy Spirit, as purifying fire. These great things for the church, shall be done by the Messiah, Emmanuel. The Child is born; it was certain; and the church, before Christ came in the flesh, benefitted by his undertaking. It is a prophecy of him and of his kingdom, which those that waited for the Consolation of Israel read with pleasure. This Child was born for the benefit of us men, of us sinners, of all believers, from the beginning to the end of the world. Justly is he called Wonderful, for he is both God and man. His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints. He is the Counsellor, for he knew the counsels of God from eternity; and he gives counsel to men, in which he consults our welfare. He is the Wonderful Counsellor; none teaches like him. He is God, the mighty One. Such is the work of the Mediator, that no less power than that of the mighty God could bring it to pass. He is God, one with the Father. As the Prince of Peace, he reconciles us to God; he is the Giver of peace in the heart and conscience; and when his kingdom is fully established, men shall learn war no more. The government shall be upon him; he shall bear the burden of it. Glorious things are spoken of Christ's government. There is no end to the increase of its peace, for the happiness of its subjects shall last for ever. The exact agreement of this prophecy with the doctrine of the New Testament, shows that Jewish prophets and Christian teachers had the same view of the person and salvation of the Messiah. To what earthly king or kingdom can these words apply? Give then, O Lord, to thy people to know thee by every endearing name, and in every glorious character. Give increase of grace in every heart of thy redeemed upon earth.

Verses 8-21 Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which God designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this point be not gained by lesser judgments, greater may be expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason to be afraid of those that speak well of us, when we do ill. Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall be in trouble, and see no way out; and when men's ways displease the Lord, he makes even their friends to be at war with them. God would take away those they thought to have help from. Their rulers were the head. Their false prophets were the tail and the rush, the most despicable. In these civil contests, men preyed on near relations who were as their own flesh. The people turn not to Him who smites them, therefore he continues to smite: for when God judges, he will overcome; and the proudest, stoutest sinner shall either bend or break.

Chapter Summary

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.