Isaiah 9:2

Isaiah 9:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Context of Isaiah 9:2

1But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish [for with judgment comes the promise of salvation]. In earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He will make them honored [by the presence of the Messiah], by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in [spiritual] darkness Will see a great Light; Those who live in the dark land, The Light will shine on them. 3You [O God] will increase the nation, You will multiply their joy; They will rejoice before You Like the joy and jubilation of the harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil [of victory]. 4For You will break the yoke of Israel’s burden and the staff (goad) on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

Isaiah 9:2 word by word

הָעָם֙ הַהֹלְכִ֣ים בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ רָא֖וּ א֣וֹר גָּד֑וֹל יֹשְׁבֵי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ צַלְמָ֔וֶת א֖וֹר נָגַ֥הּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• in darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
• have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
• they that dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of the shadow of deathצַלְמָ֫וֶתtsalmâveth · shadowH6757
• shinedנָגַהּnâgahh · to shineH5050

Cross-references for Isaiah 9:2

• Isaiah 50:10Who is among you who fears the Lord, Who obeys the voice of His Servant, Yet who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust and be confident in the name of the Lord and let him rely on his God.
• Isaiah 60:1“Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, And the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.
• Micah 7:8Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise; Though I sit in the darkness [of distress], the Lord is a light for me.
• Matthew 4:16The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light, And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death, Upon them a Light has dawned.”
• Luke 1:78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us,
• Luke 2:32A Light for revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was previously unknown], And [to bring] the praise and honor and glory of Your people Israel.”
• John 8:12Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
• John 12:35So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly].
• Ephesians 5:8For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light]
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
• 1 John 1:5This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].
• Job 10:21Before I go—and I shall not return— To the land of darkness and the deep shadow [of death],
• Psalms 23:4Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
• Psalms 107:10Some dwelt in darkness and in the deep (deathly) darkness, Prisoners [bound] in misery and chains,
• Amos 5:8He who made the [cluster of stars called] Pleiades and [the constellation] Orion, Who turns deep darkness into the morning And darkens the day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The Lord is His name.

Commentaries on Isaiah 9:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The people that walked in darkness - The inhabitants of the region of Galilee. They were represented as walking in darkness, because they were far from the capital, and from the temple; they had few religious privileges; they were intermingled with the pagan, and were comparatively rude and uncultivated in their manners and in their language. Allusion to this is several times made in the New Testament; John 1:46: Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?‘…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7After judgment and destruction, there would still be hope. God promised that the Messiah (God’s chosen one) would come and rule. In the Messiah’s kingdom, darkness would end and great light would begin. This light would first appear in Galilee. Then it would spread to the whole nation of Israel and finally to the whole world. The Messiah would defend those who suffer and are treated unfairly. He would bring an end to cruelty and injustice. He would rule…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. the people--the whole nation, Judah and Israel. shadow of death--the darkest misery of captivity.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 9:2

• Blindness
• Church
• Darkness
• Gentiles
• Gospel
• Isaiah
• Naphtali
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Shadow of Death
• Ahaz
• Darkness
• Increase
• Kindle
• Prince
• Snatch
• Zebulun, Lot of
• Dark; Darkness
• Ezekiel

Commentaries on Isaiah 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings