Focused Passage

Isaiah 9:1-7

The Great Light, the Royal Child, and the Unrelenting Judgment on Proud Israel

The chapter moves from gloom to light, from oppression to joy, from war to peace, from royal child to endless Davidic reign, and then from Israel’s proud response to repeated judgment, failed leadership, social devouring, and the LORD’s upraised hand.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:

2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.

4 For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

5 For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Nevertheless כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction there will be no more לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle gloom מוּעָף֮ H4155 Adjective - masculine singular for those לַאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Preposition-l | Pronoun - relative in distress מוּצָ֣ק H4164 Noun - masculine singular In the past הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן H7223 Article | Adjective - masculine singular . . . כָּעֵ֣ת H6256 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular He humbled הֵקַ֞ל H7043 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular the land אַ֤רְצָה H776 Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular of Zebulun זְבֻלוּן֙ H2074 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the land וְאַ֣רְצָה H776 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular of Naphtali נַפְתָּלִ֔י H5321 Noun - proper - masculine singular but in the future וְהָאַחֲר֖וֹן H314 Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular He will honor הִכְבִּ֑יד H3513 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular the Way דֶּ֤רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular construct of the Sea הַיָּם֙ H3220 Article | Noun - masculine singular beyond עֵ֣בֶר H5676 Noun - masculine singular construct the Jordan הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן H3383 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Galilee גְּלִ֖יל H1551 Noun - proper - feminine singular of the nations הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

The people הָעָם֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular walking הַהֹלְכִ֣ים H1980 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural in darkness בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ H2822 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular have seen רָא֖וּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural a great גָּד֑וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular light א֣וֹר H216 Noun - common singular on עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ H5921 Preposition | third person masculine plural those living יֹשְׁבֵי֙ H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct in the land בְּאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of the shadow of death צַלְמָ֔וֶת H6757 Noun - masculine singular a light א֖וֹר H216 Noun - common singular has dawned נָגַ֥הּ H5050 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 4:15–16
Verse 3

Original words

You have enlarged הִרְבִּ֣יתָ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular the nation הַגּ֔וֹי H1471 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . לֹא H3808 Preposition | third person masculine singular and increased הִגְדַּ֣לְתָּ H1431 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular its joy הַשִּׂמְחָ֑ה H8057 Article | Noun - feminine singular The people rejoice שָׂמְח֤וּ H8055 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural before You לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular as they rejoice כְּשִׂמְחַ֣ת H8057 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct at harvest time בַּקָּצִ֔יר H7105 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative [men] rejoice יָגִ֖ילוּ H1523 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in dividing בְּחַלְּקָ֥ם H2505 Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural the plunder שָׁלָֽל׃ H7998 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

For כִּ֣י׀ H3588 Conjunction - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker as in the day כְּי֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct of Midian מִדְיָֽן׃ H4080 Noun - proper - masculine singular You have shattered הַחִתֹּ֖תָ H2865 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular the yoke עֹ֣ל H5923 Noun - masculine singular construct of their burden סֻבֳּל֗וֹ H5448 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular - וְאֵת֙ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the bar [across] מַטֵּ֣ה H4294 Noun - masculine singular construct their shoulders שִׁכְמ֔וֹ H7926 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and the rod שֵׁ֖בֶט H7626 Noun - masculine singular construct of their oppressor הַנֹּגֵ֣שׂ H5065 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . בּ֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction every כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct trampling סֹאֵ֣ן H5431 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular boot סְאוֹן֙ H5430 Noun - masculine singular of battle בְּרַ֔עַשׁ H7494 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and [every] garment וְשִׂמְלָ֖ה H8071 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular rolled מְגוֹלָלָ֣ה H1556 Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular in blood בְדָמִ֑ים H1818 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural will be וְהָיְתָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular burned לִשְׂרֵפָ֖ה H8316 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular as fuel מַאֲכֹ֥לֶת H3980 Noun - feminine singular construct for the fire אֵֽשׁ׃ H784 Noun - common singular
Verse 6

Original words

For כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction unto us לָ֗נוּ Preposition | first person common plural a child יֶ֣לֶד H3206 Noun - masculine singular is born יֻלַּד־ H3205 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular unto us לָ֔נוּ Preposition | first person common plural a son בֵּ֚ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular is given נִתַּן־ H5414 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and the government הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה H4951 Article | Noun - feminine singular will be וַתְּהִ֥י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular upon עַל־ H5921 Preposition His shoulders שִׁכְמ֑וֹ H7926 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular And He will be called וַיִּקְרָ֨א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . שְׁמ֜וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Wonderful פֶּ֠לֶא H6382 Noun - masculine singular Counselor יוֹעֵץ֙ H3289 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Mighty גִּבּ֔וֹר H1368 Adjective - masculine singular God אֵ֣ל H410 Noun - masculine singular Everlasting Father אֲבִיעַ֖ד H1 Noun - proper - masculine singular Prince שַׂר־ H8269 Noun - masculine singular construct of Peace שָׁלֽוֹם׃ H7965 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Of the increase לְםַרְבֵּה H4766 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of [His] government הַמִּשְׂרָ֜ה H4951 Article | Noun - feminine singular and peace וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם H7965 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular [there will be] no אֵֽין־ H369 Adverb end קֵ֗ץ H7093 Noun - masculine singular He will reign on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the throne כִּסֵּ֤א H3678 Noun - masculine singular construct of David דָוִד֙ H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular and over וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition his kingdom מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ H4467 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular to establish לְהָכִ֤ין H3559 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֹתָהּ֙ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular and sustain it וּֽלְסַעֲדָ֔הּ H5582 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular with justice בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט H4941 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and righteousness וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה H6666 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular from that time מֵעַתָּה֙ H6258 Preposition-m | Adverb and forevermore וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition . . . עוֹלָ֔ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular The zeal קִנְאַ֛ת H7068 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural will accomplish תַּעֲשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular this זֹּֽאת׃ס H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.