9:1In our gloom and despair, we fear that our sorrows and troubles will never end. But we can take comfort in this certainty: Although the LORD may not always spare us from troubles, if we follow him wholeheartedly, he will lead us safely through them.
Life Application Study BibleIsaiahChapter 9
Isaiah 9
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1105, 1106, 1107
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
9Isaiah 9
1a light will shine.
3You will enlarge the nation of Israel,and its people will rejoice.They will rejoice before youas people rejoice at the harvestand like warriors dividing the plunder.
4For you will break the yoke of their slaveryand lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.You will break the oppressor’s rod,just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5The boots of the warriorand the uniforms bloodstained by warwill all be burned.They will be fuel for the fire.§ For a child is born to us,ason is given to us.The government will rest on his shoulders.And he will be called:Wonderful Counselor,* Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7His government and its peacewill never end.He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor Davidfor all eternity.The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armieswill make this happen!
The LORD’s Anger against Israel
88 The LORD has spoken out against Jacob;his judgment has fallen upon Israel.
9And the people of Israel* and Samaria,who spoke with such pride and arrogance,will soon know it.
10They said, “We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone,and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.”
11But the LORD will bring Rezin’s enemies against Israeland stir up all their foes.
12The Syrians* from the east and the Philistines from the westwill bare their fangs and devour Israel.But even then the LORD’s anger will not be satisfied.His fist is still poised to strike.
13For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent.They will not seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
14Therefore, in a single day the LORD will destroy both the head and the tail,the noble palm branch and the lowly reed.
15The leaders of Israel are the head,and the lying prophets are the tail.
16For the leaders of the people have misled them.They have led them down the path of destruction.
17That is why the LORD takes no pleasure in the young menand shows no mercy even to the widows and orphans.For they are all wicked hypocrites,and they all speak foolishness.But even then the LORD’s anger will not be satisfied.His fist is still poised to strike.
18This wickedness is like a brushfire.It burns not only briers and thornsbut also sets the forests ablaze.Its burning sends up clouds of smoke.
19The land will be blackenedby the fury of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
The people will be fuel for the fire,and no one will spare even his own brother.
20They will attack their neighbor on the rightbut will still be hungry.They will devour their neighbor on the leftbut will not be satisfied.In the end they will even eat their own children.*
21Manasseh will feed on Ephraim,Ephraim will feed on Manasseh,and both will devour Judah.But even then the LORD’s anger will not be satisfied.His fist is still poised to strike.1 0 1 What sorrow awaits the unjust judges
Textual footnotes
- Arameans.
- 9:1 Verse 9:1 is numbered 8:23 in Hebrew text.
- 9:2a Verses 9:2-21 are numbered 9:1-20 in Hebrew text.
- 9:2b Greek version reads a /and where death casts its shadow. Compare Matt 4:16.
- 9:6 Or Wonderful, Counselor.
- 9:9 Hebrew of Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.
- 9:20 Or eat their own arms.
Life Application Notes 4 notes
9:1-7This child, who would become their deliverer, is the Messiah, Jesus. Matthew quotes these verses in describing
9:8-10Pride made Israel think it would recover and rebuild in its own strength. Even though God made the people of Israel a nation and gave them the land they occupied, they put their trust in themselves rather than in him. Too often we take pride in our accomplishments, forgetting that it is God who has given us our resources and abilities. We may even become proud of our unique status as Christians. God is not pleased with any pride or trust in ourselves because it cuts off our contact with him.
9:21Ephraim and Manasseh were tribes in the northern kingdom descended from Jeseph’s two sons. They fought a civil war because of their selfishness and wickedness (see Judges 12:4).
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