Isaiah 9:1

Isaiah 9:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
• English Standard Version (ESV)But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.

Context of Isaiah 9:1

But the darkness will not continue for ever. Those who had no hope will no longer be afraid. In past times, God let trouble happen to the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in future years, he will cause the people of that region to be great. Those are the places near the sea, and those beyond the Jordan River, and Galilee region where people from other nations live. 2The people who walk in the dark now see a bright light! Light is shining on those people who live in a land of complete darkness. 3You, Lord, will make your nation stronger. You will cause your people to be very happy. They will be happy because you are with them. They will be like people who are happy at the time of harvest. They will be happy like soldiers who have won a battle, and who share their enemy's valuable things among themselves.

Isaiah 9:1 word by word

כִּ֣י לֹ֣א מוּעָף֮ לַאֲשֶׁ֣ר מוּצָ֣ק לָהּ֒ כָּעֵ֣ת הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן הֵקַ֞ל אַ֤רְצָה זְבֻלוּן֙ וְאַ֣רְצָה נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְהָאַחֲר֖וֹן הִכְבִּ֑יד דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַיָּם֙ עֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן גְּלִ֖יל הַגּוֹיִֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nevertheless the dimnessמוּעָףmû‛âph · gloomH4155
• in her vexationמוּצָקmûtsaq mûtsâq · constraintH4164
• whenעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• at the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• he lightly afflictedקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Zebulunזְבוּלֻןzebûlûn zebûlûn zebûlûn · ZebulunH2074
• of Naphtaliנַפְתָּלִיnaphtâlîy · NaphtaliH5321
• and afterwardאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314
• did more grievously afflictכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• of the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
• beyondעֵ֫בֶר‛êber · side: beyondH5676
• Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
• in Galileeגָּלִילgâlîyl gâlîylâh · GalileeH1551
• of the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471

Cross-references for Isaiah 9:1

• Isaiah 8:22They will look down at the earth, but they will only see trouble. Everywhere will be dark and people will have no hope. Then they will fall into complete darkness.
• 1 Kings 15:19Asa sent this message to Ben-Hadad: ‘We should make an agreement to be friends, as our fathers did. I am sending you this gift of silver and gold. Please stop being friends with Baasha, king of Israel. If you no longer help him, he will have to take his soldiers out of my country.’
• 2 Kings 15:29While Pekah was the king of Israel, the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, attacked towns in Israel. He took these places for himself: Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee and all of Naphtali's land. He took the people that lived in those places as prisoners to Assyria.
• 2 Chronicles 16:4Ben-Hadad agreed to do what King Asa asked him to do. He sent his army with its leaders to attack towns in Israel. They won the battles at Ijon, Dan, Abel-Maim and all the cities of Naphtali's tribe where they stored things.
• Leviticus 26:24He will become their enemy. If they do not obey him, he will punish them seven times more strongly.
• 2 Kings 17:5The king of Assyria took his army and he marched through all the land of Israel. He attacked Samaria. His army made their camp around the city for three years.
• 1 Chronicles 5:26So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria to attack their land. That king is also called King Tiglath-Pileser. He won the fight against the people of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. He took them away as his prisoners to Halah, to Habor, to Hara and to the Gozan river. They are still living there, even today.
• Matthew 4:15‘I am speaking to you people who live in Zebulun and Naphtali. Your part of this country is on the way to Lake Galilee. It is across the Jordan River in the part of the country called Galilee. Some people who are not Jews live there.

Commentaries on Isaiah 9:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Dimness "Accumulated darkness" - Either מנדחה menuddechah, fem. to agree with אפלה aphelah ; or המנדח אפל aphel hammenuddach, alluding perhaps to the palpable Egyptian darkness, Exodus 10:21. The land of Zebulun - Zebulun, Naphtali, Manasseh, that is, the country of Galilee all round the sea of Gennesareth, were the parts that principally suffered in the first Assyrian invasion under Tiglath-pileser; see 2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:26. And they were the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Nevertheless - Notwithstanding what is said in the previous chapter of the calamities that are coming upon Israel. Hengstenberg renders this whole verse: For darkness shall not be upon the land upon which there is distress; as the former time has dishonored the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; so shall the time come to honor it, the region on the border of the sea, by the side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.‘ The dimness - The Hebrew word…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Son that should be born, and his kingdom. (Is. 9:1-7) The judgments to come upon Israel, and on the enemies of the kingdom of Christ. (Is. 9:8-21) Verses 1-7 The Syrians and Assyrians first ravaged the countries here mentioned, and that region was first favoured by the preaching of Christ. Those that want the gospel, walk in darkness, and in the utmost danger. But when the gospel comes to any place, to any soul, light comes. Let us earnestly pray that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Zebulun and Naphtali were northern tribes in Israel (Judges 6:35). The Assyrian invaders, led by Tiglath-pileser III, humbled them in 734 and 732 BC. During the lifetime of Jesus, people connected this prophecy to his coming out from Galilee (Matthew 4:14–16). Galilee of the Gentiles was the area of Israel between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. The surrounding Gentile nations heavily influenced it culturally, religiously, and politically.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-71. Nevertheless, &c.--rather, "For darkness shall not (continually) be on it (that is, the land) on which there is (now) distress" [Hengstenberg and Maurer]. The "for" refers, not to the words immediately preceding, but to the consolations in Is 8:9, 10, 17, 18. Do not despair, for, &c. when at the first, &c.--rather, "as the former time has brought contempt on the land of Zebulun and Naphtali (namely, the deportation of their inhabitants under…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 9:1

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Church
• Galilee
• Gentiles
• Isaiah
• Naphtali
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Zebulun

In the dictionaries

• Galilee
• Jordan
• Naphtali
• Zebulun
• Galilee, Galilean
• Jordan River, Jordan
• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Ahaz
• Captivity
• Increase

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