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

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.

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 8:22and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.
• 1 Kings 15:19“Let there be a treaty between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.”
• 2 Kings 15:29During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.
• 2 Chronicles 16:4Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa’s request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all the store cities in Naphtali.
• Leviticus 26:24then I myself will be hostile toward you. I will personally strike you with calamity seven times over for your sins.
• 2 Kings 17:5Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.
• 1 Chronicles 5:26So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
• Matthew 4:15“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,

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