1 NEVERTHELESS the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.
14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

1Neuerthelesse the dimnesse shall not be such as was in her vexation; when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grieuously afflict her by the way of the Sea, beyond Iordan in Galile of the nations.

2The people that walked in darknesse, haue seene a great light: they that dwel in the land of the shadow of death, vpon them hath the light shined.

3Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the ioy: they ioy before thee, according to the ioy in haruest, and as men reioyce when they diuide the spoile.

4For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staffe of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressour, as in the day of Midian.

5For euery battell of the warriour is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fewell of fire.

6For vnto vs a child is borne, vnto vs a Sonne is giuen, and the gouernment shalbe vpon his shoulder: and his name shalbe called, Wonderfull, Counseller, The mightie God, The euerlasting Father, The Prince of peace.

7Of the increase of his gouernment and peace there shall be no end, vpon the throne of Dauid & vpon his kingdome, to order it, and to stablish it with iudgement and with iustice, from henceforth euen for euer: the zeale of the Lord of hostes will performe this.

8 The Lord sent a word into Iacob, and it hath lighted vpon Israel.

9And all the people shal know, euen Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutnesse of heart;

10The brickes are fallen downe, but we will build with hewen stones: the Sycomores are cut downe, but we will change them into Cedars.

11Therefore the Lord shall set vp the aduersaries of Rezin against him, and ioyne his enemies together.

12The Syrians before, and the Philistines behinde, and they shall deuoure Israel with open mouth: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them, neither doe they seeke the Lord of hostes.

14Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and taile, branch and rush in one day.

15The ancient and honourable, hee is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the taile.

16For the leaders of this people cause them to erre, and they that are ledde of them, are destroyed.

17Therfore the Lord shall haue no ioy in their yong men, neither shall haue mercy on their fatherlesse & widowes: for euery one is an hypocrite, and an euil doer, and euery mouth speaketh folly: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickednes burneth as the fire: it shall deuoure the briers and thornes, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forrest, and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke.

19Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuell of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

20And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry, and he shall eate on the left hand, and they shall not bee satisfied: they shall eate euery man the flesh of his owne arme.

21Manasseh, Ephraim: and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shalbe against Iudah: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

I == Lev 26:24 ; 2nd Kings 15:29 ; 17:5-6

II == Matt 4:16 ; Eph 5:8 , 14

III == Judg 5:30

IV == Judg 7:22 ; Ps 83:9 ; Isa 10:5 , 26 ; 14:5

V == Isa 66:15-16

VI == Judg 13:18 ; Isa 7:14 ; Matt 28:18 ; Luke 2:11 ; John 3:16 ; 1st Cor 15:25 ; Eph 2:14 ; Titus 2:13

VII == 2nd Kings 19:31 ; Isa 37:32 ; Dan 2:44 ; Luke 1:32-33

XII == Isa 5:25 ; 10:4 ; Jer 4:8

XIII == Jer 5:3 ; Hos 7:10

XIV == Isa 10:17 ; Rev 18:8

XVI == Isa 3:12

XVII == Ps 147:10-11 ; Isa 5:25 ; 9:12 , 21 ; 10:4 ; Mic 7:2

XVIII == Isa 10:17 ; Mal 4:1

XIX == Isa 8:22 ; Mic 7:2 , 6

XX == Lev 26:26 ; Isa 49:26 ; Jer 19:9

XXI == Isa 5:25 ; 9:12 , 17 ; 10:4

1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

2 You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.

3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

4 For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames.

5 For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

6 His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

7 The Lord has sent word against Jacob, it falls upon Israel;

8 And all the people know it, Ephraim and those who dwell in Samaria, those who say in arrogance and pride of heart,

9 "Bricks have fallen, but we will build with cut stone; Sycamores are felled, but we will replace them with cedars."

10 But the LORD raises up their foes against them and stirs up their enemies to action:

11 Aram on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, and his hand is still outstretched!

12 The people do not turn to him who struck them, nor seek the LORD of hosts.

13 So the LORD severs from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day.

14 (The elder and the noble are the head, the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.)

15 The leaders of this people mislead them and those to be led are engulfed.

16 For this reason, the Lord does not spare their young men, and their orphans and widows he does not pity; They are wholly profaned and sinful, and every mouth gives vent to folly. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched!

17 For wickedness burns like fire, devouring brier and thorn; It kindles the forest thickets, which go up in columns of smoke.

18 At the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land quakes, and the people are like fuel for fire; No man spares his brother, each devours the flesh of his neighbor.

19 Though they hack on the right, they are hungry; though they eat on the left, they are not filled.

20 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn on Judah. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched!

v 1,2. That darkness was great as the enemies of the northern tribes swept down into Galilee, but this looks forward to the deliverer who will preach in that same area to dispel that darkness. Jesus spoke of this being fulfilled in himself, Matt. 4:14-16.

v 3-5. Isaiah goes on to point out that God will bring joy and break the yoke of the oppressor. He uses the word 27 times and refers to it in 33 verses, indicating better days if they would turn to God. Verse 5 looks ahead to the millennial reign of Christ.

v 6,7. Five important things about the coming Messiah:
1. He will come being born a child.
2. He will rule (a) God’s people, Micah 5:2  (b) The world, Zech. 14:9
3. He will have four descriptive names: Wonderful (distinguished) Counselor, the source of all wisdom and instruction; The Mighty God, omnipotent and in whom all the fullness of the God head dwells, Col. 2:9; Everlasting Father, since God is triune, the Son is also the Everlasting Father; The Prince of Peace, the one who will bring in and maintain the millennium peace.
4. He will be seated on David’s throne, Luke 1:32,33, & His rule will have no end.
5. This will be accomplished by the zeal of the Almighty (not by human coalitions).
Isaiah probably thought that the first and second advents of Christ were one.

V 8-12. Because Israel was arrogant and unrepentant, God’s judgment extends.

v 13-17. This judgment would fall upon all, regardless of age or status.

v 18-21. Their wickedness was like a burning fire bringing judgment from God, v11, enemies v 12, and within by opposing individuals,

v 19,20 and whole tribes, v 21. In 5:25; 9:12, 17, 21; and 10:4, God’s “hand is stretched out still”, emphasizing God’s intense anger at their unrepentance, and that judgment will continue unrelentingly.