1 * 9:1 Ch 8:23 in Hebrew But there will be no *[ch. 8:22] gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he *[2 Kgs. 15:29;2 Chr. 16:4] brought into contempt the land of *Cited Matt. 4:15,16Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he *ch. 26:15has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.*9:1 Or of the Gentiles

2 * 9:2 Ch 9:1 in Hebrew *[See ver. 1above] The people *[Luke 1:79;Eph. 5:8,14] who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of *See Job 3:5deep darkness,

on them has light shone.

3 *ch. 26:15You have multiplied the nation;

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with *Ps. 4:7;[John 4:36] joy at the harvest,

as they *Ps. 119:162;[1 Sam. 30:16] are glad *[Judg. 5:30]when they divide the spoil.

4 *ch. 10:27;14:25;Nah. 1:13;[Matt. 11:29] For the yoke of his burden,

*ch. 10:5,24;14:5and the staff for his shoulder,

the rod of his oppressor,

you have broken as *ch. 10:26;Ps. 83:9;See Judg. 7:19-25;8:10-21on the day of Midian.

5 *Ezek. 39:9For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

and every garment rolled in blood

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 *Luke 2:11;[John 3:16] For to us a child is born,

to us *ch. 7:14a son is given;

*[Matt. 28:18;1 Cor. 15:25] and the government shall be *ch. 22:22upon*9:6 Or is upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called*9:6 Or is called

Wonderful *[ch. 28:29] Counselor, *ch. 10:21;Deut. 10:17;Neh. 9:32;Jer. 32:18;[Ps. 45:3] Mighty God,

*Ps. 72:17Everlasting *ch. 63:16;[John 14:18] Father, Prince of *Ps. 72:7;[Eph. 2:14]; See ch. 11:6-9Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace

*Ps. 89:4;Luke 1:32,33there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

*Jer. 23:5with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

*ch. 37:32;2 Kgs. 19:31;[Zech. 1:14]The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

8 The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,

and it will fall on Israel;

9 and all the people will know,

*ch. 7:2,5,8,9,17Ephraim 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 *[2 Kgs. 16:6] The Syrians on the east and *[2 Chr. 28:18] the Philistines on the west

devour Israel with open mouth.

*ver. 17, 21;ch. 5:25;10:4For all this his anger has not turned away,

and his hand is stretched out still.

13 The people *[ch. 1:5;Hos. 7:10]did not turn to him who struck them,

nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.

14 So the Lord cut off from Israel *ch. 19:15;Deut. 28:13head and tail,

palm branch and reed in one day—

15 *ch. 3:2,3the elder and honored man is the head,

and *[ch. 28:7;Mic. 3:5]the 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 *Ps. 147:10,11rejoice over their young men,

and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows;

for everyone is *ch. 10:6godless and an evildoer,

and every mouth speaks *Gen. 34:7folly.*9:17 Or speaks disgraceful things

*[See ver. 12above]For all this his anger has not turned away,

and his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burns like *Ps. 83:14;[James 3:5]a 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 *ch. 24:6the people are like fuel for the fire;

*[Mic. 7:2]no one spares another.

20 *ch. 8:21They slice meat on the right, but are still hungry,

and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied;

*ch. 49:26;See Deut. 28:53-57each devours the flesh of his own arm,

21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh;

together they are *[ch. 11:13]; See 2 Chr. 28:6-9against Judah.

*See ver. 12For all this his anger has not turned away,

and his hand is stretched out still.