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Isaiah 9-12
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 9-12
Contemporary English Version
9 (A) But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain.[a] The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
War Is Over
2 (B) Those who walked in the dark
have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3 Our Lord, you have made
your nation stronger.[b]
Because of you, its people
are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
what they have taken.
4 You have broken the power
of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
from Midian.[c]
5 The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
have been fed to flames
and eaten by fire.
A Child Has Been Born
6 A child has been born for us.
We have been given a son
who will be our ruler.
His names will be
Wonderful Advisor
and Mighty God,
Eternal Father
and Prince of Peace.
7 (C) His power will never end;
peace will last forever.
He will rule David's kingdom
and make it grow strong.
He will always rule
with honesty and justice.
The Lord All-Powerful
will make certain
that all of this is done.
God Will Punish Israel
8 The Lord had warned the people of Israel, 9 and all of them knew it, including everyone in the capital city of Samaria. But they were proud and stubborn and said,
10 “Houses of brick and sycamore
have fallen to the ground,
but we will build houses
with stones and cedar.”
11 The Lord made their enemies[d] attack them. 12 He sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel. But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them.[e] 13 The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.
14 In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches. 15 Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail. 16 They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. 17 The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him.[f] They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.
18 Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke. 19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other 20 like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives.[g] But still they were not satisfied. 21 The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other, then joined forces to attack Judah. But the Lord was still angry and ready to punish the nation even more.
10 You people are in for trouble! You have made cruel and unfair laws 2 that let you cheat the poor and needy and rob widows and orphans. 3 But what will you do when you are fiercely attacked and punished by foreigners? Where will you run for help? Where will you hide your valuables? 4 How will you escape being captured[h] or killed? The Lord is still angry, and he isn't through with you yet![i]
The Lord's Purpose and the King of Assyria
5 (D) The Lord says:
I am furious! And I will use the king of Assyria[j] as a club 6 to beat down you godless people. I am angry with you, and I will send him to attack you. He will take what he wants and walk on you like mud in the streets. 7 He has even bigger plans in mind, because he wants to destroy many nations.
8 The king of Assyria says:
My army commanders are kings! 9 They have already captured[k] the cities of Calno, Carchemish, Hamath, Arpad, Samaria, and Damascus. 10-11 (E) The gods of Jerusalem and Samaria are weaker than the gods of those powerful nations. And I will destroy Jerusalem, together with its gods and idols, just as I did Samaria.
12 The Lord will do what he has planned against Jerusalem and Mount Zion. Then he will punish the proud and boastful king of Assyria, 13 who says:
I did these things by my own power because I am smart and clever. I attacked kings like a wild bull, and I took the land and the treasures of their nations. 14 I have conquered the whole world! And it was easier than taking eggs from an unguarded nest. No one even flapped a wing or made a peep.
15 King of Assyria, can an ax or a saw overpower the one who uses it? Can a wooden pole lift whoever holds it? 16 The mighty Lord All-Powerful will send a terrible disease to strike down your army, and you will burn with fever under your royal robes. 17 The holy God, who is the light of Israel, will turn into a fire, and in one day you will go up in flames, just like a thornbush. 18 The Lord will make your beautiful forests and fertile fields slowly rot. 19 There will be so few trees that even a young child can count them.
Only a Few Will Come Back
20 A time is coming when the survivors from Israel and Judah will completely depend on the holy Lord of Israel, instead of the nation[l] that defeated them. 21-22 (F) There were as many people as there are grains of sand along the seashore, but only a few will survive to come back to Israel's mighty God. This is because he has threatened to destroy their nation, just as they deserve. 23 The Lord All-Powerful has promised that everyone on this earth[m] will be punished.
24 Now the Lord God All-Powerful says to his people in Jerusalem:
The Assyrians will beat you with sticks and abuse you, just as the Egyptians did. But don't be afraid of them. 25 Soon I will stop being angry with you, and I will punish them for their crimes.[n] 26 I will beat the Assyrians with a whip, as I did the people of Midian near the rock at Oreb. And I will show the same mighty power that I used when I made a path through the sea in Egypt. 27 Then they will no longer rule your nation. All will go well for you,[o] and your burden will be lifted.
28 Enemy troops have reached the town of Aiath.[p] They have gone through Migron, and they stored their supplies at Michmash, 29 before crossing the valley and spending the night at Geba.[q] The people of Ramah are terrified; everyone in Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, has run away. 30 Loud crying can be heard in the towns of Gallim, Laishah, and sorrowful Anathoth. 31 No one is left in Madmenah or Gebim. 32 Today the enemy will camp at Nob[r] and shake a threatening fist at Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
33 But the Lord All-Powerful
will use his fearsome might
to bring down the tallest trees
and chop off every branch.
34 With an ax, the glorious Lord
will destroy every tree
in the forests of Lebanon.[s]
Peace at Last
11 (G) Like a branch that sprouts
from a stump,
someone from David's family[t]
will someday be king.
2 The Spirit of the Lord
will be with him
to give him understanding,
wisdom, and insight.
He will be powerful,
and he will know
and honor the Lord.
3 His greatest joy will be
to obey the Lord.
This king won't judge
by appearances
or listen to rumors.
4 The poor and the needy
will be treated with fairness
and with justice.
His word will be law
everywhere in the land,
and criminals
will be put to death.
5 (H) Honesty and fairness
will be his royal robes.
6 (I) Leopards will lie down
with young goats,
and wolves will rest
with lambs.
Calves and lions
will eat together
and be cared for
by little children.
7 Cows and bears will share
the same pasture;
their young will rest
side by side.
Lions and oxen
will both eat straw.
8 Little children will play
near snake holes.
They will stick their hands
into dens of poisonous snakes
and never be hurt.
9 (J) Nothing harmful will take place
on the Lord's holy mountain.
Just as water fills the sea,
the land will be filled
with people who know
and honor the Lord.
God's People Will Come Back Home
10 (K) The time is coming when one of David's descendants[u] will be the signal for the people of all nations to come together. They will follow his advice, and his own nation will become famous.
11 When that day comes, the Lord will again reach out his mighty arm and bring home his people who have survived in Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia,[v] Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the land along the coast.[w] 12 He will give a signal to the nations, and he will bring together the refugees from Judah and Israel, who have been scattered all over the earth. 13 Israel will stop being jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be the enemy of Israel. 14 Instead, they will get together and attack the Philistines in the west. Then they will defeat the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites in the east. They will rule those people and take from them whatever they want.
15 (L) The Lord will dry up the arm of the Red Sea near Egypt,[x] and he will send a scorching wind to divide the Euphrates River into seven streams that anyone can step across. 16 Then for his people who survive, there will be a good road from Assyria, just as there was a good road for their ancestors when they left Egypt.
A Song of Praise
12 At that time you will say,
“I thank you, Lord!
You were angry with me,
but you stopped being angry
and gave me comfort.
2 (M) I trust you to save me,
Lord God,
and I won't be afraid.
My power and my strength[y]
come from you,
and you have saved me.”
3 With great joy, you people
will get water
from the well of victory.
4 At that time you will say,
“Our Lord, we are thankful,
and we worship only you.
We will tell the nations
how glorious you are
and what you have done.
5 Because of your wonderful deeds
we will sing your praises
everywhere on earth.”
6 Sing, people of Zion!
Celebrate the greatness
of the holy Lord of Israel.
God is here to help you.
Footnotes
- 9.1 will … pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 9.3 stronger: Or “happy” or “larger.”
- 9.4 rescued … from Midian: The time when Gideon defeated the people of Midian in Jezreel Valley (see Judges 6–8).
- 9.11 their enemies: Hebrew “the enemies of Rezin.”
- 9.12 so … them: Or “but he hasn't given up on them yet.”
- 9.17 and kept … against him: Or “but even though they had turned against him, he still had not given up on them.”
- 9.20 their own relatives: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 10.4 escape being captured: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 10.4 and he … yet: Or “but he hasn't given up on you yet!”
- 10.5 king of Assyria: Probably King Sennacherib who invaded Israel in 701 b.c.
- 10.9 already captured: Calno (in northern Syria), Carchemish (on the Euphrates River), Hamath (on the Orontes River), Arpad (near Aleppo in northern Syria), Samaria, and Damascus had already been captured by Assyrian kings (738–717 b.c.).
- 10.20 nation: That is, Assyria.
- 10.23 on this earth: Or “in this land.”
- 10.25 punish … crimes: Or “completely destroy them.”
- 10.27 All … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 10.28 Aiath: Probably Ai (Joshua 7.2).
- 10.29 Geba: Only nine kilometers from Jerusalem.
- 10.32 Nob: Perhaps within three kilometers of Jerusalem.
- 10.34 Lebanon: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 34.
- 11.1 David's family: Hebrew “Jesse's family.” Jesse was the father of King David.
- 11.10 David's descendants: Hebrew “Jesse's descendants” (see the note at 11.1).
- 11.11 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has “Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
- 11.11 land along the coast: Or “islands.”
- 11.15 arm of the Red Sea near Egypt: Gulf of Suez.
- 12.2 strength: Or “song.”
Isaiah 9-12
New International Version
Isaiah 9-12
New International Version
9 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(A) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(B) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness(C)
have seen a great light;(D)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(E)
a light has dawned.(F)
3 You have enlarged the nation(G)
and increased their joy;(H)
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.(I)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(J)
you have shattered(K)
the yoke(L) that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,(M)
the rod of their oppressor.(N)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(O)
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,(P)
to us a son is given,(Q)
and the government(R) will be on his shoulders.(S)
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,(T) Mighty God,(U)
Everlasting(V) Father,(W) Prince of Peace.(X)
7 Of the greatness of his government(Y) and peace(Z)
there will be no end.(AA)
He will reign(AB) on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice(AC) and righteousness(AD)
from that time on and forever.(AE)
The zeal(AF) of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
The Lord’s Anger Against Israel
8 The Lord has sent a message(AG) against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim(AH) and the inhabitants of Samaria(AI)—
who say with pride
and arrogance(AJ) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(AK)
the fig(AL) trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.(AM)”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(AN) foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(AO) from the east and Philistines(AP) from the west
have devoured(AQ) Israel with open mouth.
13 But the people have not returned(AT) to him who struck(AU) them,
nor have they sought(AV) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed(AW) in a single day;(AX)
15 the elders(AY) and dignitaries(AZ) are the head,
the prophets(BA) who teach lies(BB) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(BC) this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(BE)
nor will he pity(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(BG) and wicked,(BH)
every mouth speaks folly.(BI)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BJ)
18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire;(BK)
it consumes briers and thorns,(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,(BM)
so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
19 By the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty
the land will be scorched(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;(BP)
they will not spare one another.(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
but still be hungry;(BR)
on the left they will eat,(BS)
but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring[b]:
21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;(BT)
together they will turn against Judah.(BU)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(BV)
10 Woe(BW) to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,(BX)
2 to deprive(BY) the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,(BZ)
making widows their prey
and robbing the fatherless.(CA)
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,(CB)
when disaster(CC) comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?(CD)
Where will you leave your riches?
4 Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives(CE)
or fall among the slain.(CF)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,(CG)
his hand is still upraised.
God’s Judgment on Assyria
5 “Woe(CH) to the Assyrian,(CI) the rod(CJ) of my anger,
in whose hand is the club(CK) of my wrath!(CL)
6 I send him against a godless(CM) nation,
I dispatch(CN) him against a people who anger me,(CO)
to seize loot and snatch plunder,(CP)
and to trample(CQ) them down like mud in the streets.
7 But this is not what he intends,(CR)
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.
8 ‘Are not my commanders(CS) all kings?’ he says.
9 ‘Has not Kalno(CT) fared like Carchemish?(CU)
Is not Hamath(CV) like Arpad,(CW)
and Samaria(CX) like Damascus?(CY)
10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,(CZ)
kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—
11 shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?(DA)’”
12 When the Lord has finished all his work(DB) against Mount Zion(DC) and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria(DD) for the willful pride(DE) of his heart and the haughty look(DF) in his eyes. 13 For he says:
“‘By the strength of my hand(DG) I have done this,(DH)
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;(DI)
like a mighty one I subdued[c] their kings.(DJ)
14 As one reaches into a nest,(DK)
so my hand reached for the wealth(DL) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;(DM)
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.(DN)’”
15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
or the saw boast against the one who uses it?(DO)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
or a club(DP) brandish the one who is not wood!
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will send a wasting disease(DQ) upon his sturdy warriors;(DR)
under his pomp(DS) a fire(DT) will be kindled
like a blazing flame.
17 The Light of Israel will become a fire,(DU)
their Holy One(DV) a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
his thorns(DW) and his briers.(DX)
18 The splendor of his forests(DY) and fertile fields
it will completely destroy,(DZ)
as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the remaining trees of his forests(EA) will be so few(EB)
that a child could write them down.
The Remnant of Israel
20 In that day(EC) the remnant of Israel,
the survivors(ED) of Jacob,
will no longer rely(EE) on him
who struck them down(EF)
but will truly rely(EG) on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.(EH)
21 A remnant(EI) will return,[d](EJ) a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God.(EK)
22 Though your people be like the sand(EL) by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.(EM)
Destruction has been decreed,(EN)
overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed(EO) upon the whole land.(EP)
24 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:
“My people who live in Zion,(EQ)
do not be afraid(ER) of the Assyrians,
who beat(ES) you with a rod(ET)
and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
25 Very soon(EU) my anger against you will end
and my wrath(EV) will be directed to their destruction.(EW)”
26 The Lord Almighty will lash(EX) them with a whip,
as when he struck down Midian(EY) at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff(EZ) over the waters,(FA)
as he did in Egypt.
27 In that day(FB) their burden(FC) will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke(FD) from your neck;(FE)
the yoke(FF) will be broken
because you have grown so fat.[e]
28 They enter Aiath;
they pass through Migron;(FG)
they store supplies(FH) at Mikmash.(FI)
29 They go over the pass, and say,
“We will camp overnight at Geba.(FJ)”
Ramah(FK) trembles;
Gibeah(FL) of Saul flees.(FM)
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!(FN)
Listen, Laishah!
Poor Anathoth!(FO)
31 Madmenah is in flight;
the people of Gebim take cover.
32 This day they will halt at Nob;(FP)
they will shake their fist(FQ)
at the mount of Daughter Zion,(FR)
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will lop off(FS) the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,(FT)
the tall(FU) ones will be brought low.(FV)
34 He will cut down(FW) the forest thickets with an ax;
Lebanon(FX) will fall before the Mighty One.(FY)
The Branch From Jesse
11 A shoot(FZ) will come up from the stump(GA) of Jesse;(GB)
from his roots a Branch(GC) will bear fruit.(GD)
2 The Spirit(GE) of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom(GF) and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,(GG)
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear(GH) of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,(GI)
or decide by what he hears with his ears;(GJ)
4 but with righteousness(GK) he will judge the needy,(GL)
with justice(GM) he will give decisions for the poor(GN) of the earth.
He will strike(GO) the earth with the rod of his mouth;(GP)
with the breath(GQ) of his lips he will slay the wicked.(GR)
5 Righteousness will be his belt(GS)
and faithfulness(GT) the sash around his waist.(GU)
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,(GV)
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[f] together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.(GW)
8 The infant(GX) will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s(GY) nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy(GZ)
on all my holy mountain,(HA)
for the earth(HB) will be filled with the knowledge(HC) of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day(HD) the Root of Jesse(HE) will stand as a banner(HF) for the peoples; the nations(HG) will rally to him,(HH) and his resting place(HI) will be glorious.(HJ) 11 In that day(HK) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant(HL) of his people from Assyria,(HM) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,(HN) from Cush,[g](HO) from Elam,(HP) from Babylonia,[h] from Hamath(HQ) and from the islands(HR) of the Mediterranean.(HS)
12 He will raise a banner(HT) for the nations
and gather(HU) the exiles of Israel;(HV)
he will assemble the scattered people(HW) of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.(HX)
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
and Judah’s enemies[i] will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.(HY)
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia(HZ) to the west;
together they will plunder the people to the east.(IA)
They will subdue Edom(IB) and Moab,(IC)
and the Ammonites(ID) will be subject to them.(IE)
15 The Lord will dry up(IF)
the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind(IG) he will sweep his hand(IH)
over the Euphrates River.(II)
He will break it up into seven streams
so that anyone can cross over in sandals.(IJ)
16 There will be a highway(IK) for the remnant(IL) of his people
that is left from Assyria,(IM)
as there was for Israel
when they came up from Egypt.(IN)
Songs of Praise
12 In that day(IO) you will say:
“I will praise(IP) you, Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(IQ)
and you have comforted(IR) me.
2 Surely God is my salvation;(IS)
I will trust(IT) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(IU) is my strength(IV) and my defense[j];
he has become my salvation.(IW)”
3 With joy you will draw water(IX)
from the wells(IY) of salvation.
4 In that day(IZ) you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;(JA)
make known among the nations(JB) what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.(JC)
5 Sing(JD) to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;(JE)
let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy,(JF) people of Zion,
for great(JG) is the Holy One of Israel(JH) among you.(JI)”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
- Isaiah 9:20 Or arm
- Isaiah 10:13 Or treasures; / I subdued the mighty,
- Isaiah 10:21 Hebrew shear-jashub (see 7:3 and note); also in verse 22
- Isaiah 10:27 Hebrew; Septuagint broken / from your shoulders
- Isaiah 11:6 Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed
- Isaiah 11:11 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 11:11 Hebrew Shinar
- Isaiah 11:13 Or hostility
- Isaiah 12:2 Or song
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