What joy shall come after afflictions by the birth and kingdom of
Christ; which shall flourish for ever. Judgments upon Israel for their
sins.
9:1. At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali
was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the
Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.
9:2. The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to
them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.
9:3. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy.
They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as
conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.
9:4. For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and
the sceptre of their oppressor thou hast overcome, as in the day of
Madian.
9:5. For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment
mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire.
9:6. For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the
government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come,
the Prince of Peace.
9:7. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of
peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to
establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from
henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform
this.
9:8. The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9:9. And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of
Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:
9:10. The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones:
they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.
9:11. And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and
shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:
9:12. The Syrians from the east, and, the Philistines from the west:
and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his
indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
9:13. And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and
have not sought after the Lord of hosts.
9:14. And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail,
him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day.
9:15. The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that
teacheth lies, he is the tail.
9:16. And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err:
and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down, headlong.
9:17. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men: neither
shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a
hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this
his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still.
9:18. For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier
and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it
shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.
9:19. By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the
people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
9:20. And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and
shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shall
eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses,
and they together shall be against Juda.
9:21. After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.