God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 9:2
2The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light. The light will shine on those who live in the land of death’s shadow.
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 the land that is in distress. God humbled the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali in earlier times. But in the future he will bring glory to the road by the sea, to the land across the Jordan River, to Galilee, where foreigners live. The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light. The light will shine on those who live in the land of death’s shadow. 3You will expand the nation and increase its happiness. It will be happy in your presence like those who celebrate the harvest or rejoice when dividing loot. 4You will break the yoke that burdens them, the bar that is across their shoulders, and the stick used by their oppressor, as ⌞you did in the battle against⌟ Midian.
Read all of Isaiah 9Isaiah 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 among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? Let those who walk in darkness and have no light trust the name of the Lord and depend upon their God.
- Isaiah 60:1Arise! Shine! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned.
- Micah 7:8Don’t laugh at me, my enemies. Although I’ve fallen, I will get up. Although I sit in the dark, the Lord is my light.
- Matthew 4:16The people who lived in darkness have seen a bright light. A light has risen for those who live in a land overshadowed by death.”
- Luke 1:78A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful.
- Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.”
- John 8:12Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark.”
- John 12:35Jesus answered the crowd, “The light will still be with you for a little while. Walk while you have light so that darkness won’t defeat you. Those who walk in the dark don’t know where they’re going.
- Ephesians 5:8Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light.
- 1 Peter 2:9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- 1 John 1:5This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him.
- Job 10:21before I go away to a land of darkness and gloom,
- Psalms 23:4Even though I walk through the dark valley of death, because you are with me, I fear no harm. Your rod and your staff give me courage.
- Psalms 107:10Those who lived in the dark, in death’s shadow were prisoners in misery. They were held in iron chains
- Amos 5:8God made the ⌞constellations⌟ Pleiades and Orion. He turns deep darkness into dawn. He turns day into night. He calls for water from the sea to pour it over the face of the earth. His name is the Lord.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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