In former times he^c 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.

²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.

³You have made the nation numerous;

you have not^d made the joy great.

They rejoice in your presence as with joy at the harvest,

as they rejoice when they divide plunder.

⁴For you have shattered the yoke of its burden

and the stick of its shoulder,

the rod of its oppressor, on^e the day of Midian.

⁵For every boot that marches and shakes the earth^f

and garment rolled in blood

will^g be for burning—fire fuel.

⁶For 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.

⁷His dominion will grow continually,

and to peace there will be no end^h

onⁱ the throne of David and over^j his kingdom,

to establish it^k and sustain it

with justice and righteousness

now and forever.

The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

Read in Logos

Isaiah 9:2: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Footnotes

a Isaiah 9:1–21 in the English Bible is 8:23–9:20 in the Hebrew Bible
bLiterally “Indeed there is no gloom for the one to whom there was anxiety for her”
cThat is, Yahweh
dThe written text (Kethib) is “not,” but the reading tradition (Qere) is “for it”
eHebrew “like”; the Hebrew letters for “like” and “on” look alike
fLiterally “marching with shaking,” which might mean “marching is with shaking”
gLiterally “and it will”
hLiterally “There is no end to the increase of the dominion and to peace”
iOr “for”
jOr “for”
kThat is, the kingdom