Revised Literal Translation

Isaiah 9

1Nevertheless the dimnessמוּעָף֮mu.'AfH4155shall not be such as wasin her vexationמוּצָ֣קmu.TzakH4164,whenכָּעֵ֣תka.'EtH6256at the firstהָרִאשׁ֗וֹןha.ri.ShonH7223he lightly afflictedהֵקַ֞לhe.KalH7043the landH776of Zebulunזְבֻלוּן֙ze.vu.LunH2074and the landH776of Naphtaliנַפְתָּלִ֔יnaf.ta.LiH5321,and afterwardוְהָאַחֲר֖וֹןve.ha.'a.cha.RonH314did more grievously afflictהִכְבִּ֑ידhikh.BidH3513her bythe wayדֶּ֤רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of the seaהַיָּם֙hai.YamH3220,beyondעֵ֣בֶר'E.verH5676Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןhai.yar.DenH3383,in Galileeגְּלִ֖ילge.LilH1551of the nationsהַגּוֹיִֽם׃ha.go.YimH1471.

2The peopleהָעָם֙ha.'AmH5971that walkedהַהֹלְכִ֣יםha.ho.le.KhimH1980in darknessבַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְba.Cho.shekhH2822have seenרָא֖וּra.'UH7200a greatגָּד֑וֹלga.DolH1419lightא֣וֹר'orH216:they that dwellיֹשְׁבֵי֙yo.she.VeiH3427in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of the shadow of deathצַלְמָ֔וֶתtzal.Ma.vetH6757,upon them hath the lightא֖וֹר'orH216shinedנָגַ֥הּna.GahH5050.

3Thou hast multipliedהִרְבִּ֣יתָhir.Bi.taH7235the nationהַגּ֔וֹיha.GoyH1471, andnot increasedהִגְדַּ֣לְתָּhig.Dal.taH1431the joyהַשִּׂמְחָ֑הha.sim.ChahH8057:they joyשָׂמְח֤וּsa.me.ChuH8055beforeלְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙le.fa.Nei.khaH6440thee according to the joyכְּשִׂמְחַ֣תke.sim.ChatH8057in harvestבַּקָּצִ֔ירba.ka.TzirH7105, and as menrejoiceיָגִ֖ילוּya.Gi.luH1523when they divideבְּחַלְּקָ֥םbe.cha.le.KamH2505the spoilשָׁלָֽל׃sha.LalH7998.

4For thou hast brokenהַחִתֹּ֖תָha.chi.To.taH2865the yokeעֹ֣ל'olH5923of his burdenסֻבֳּל֗וֹsu.bo.LoH5448,and the staffמַטֵּ֣הma.TehH4294of his shoulderשִׁכְמ֔וֹshikh.MoH7926,the rodשֵׁ֖בֶטShe.vetH7626of his oppressorהַנֹּגֵ֣שׂha.no.GesH5065,as in the dayכְּי֥וֹםke.YomH3117of Midianמִדְיָֽן׃mid.YanH4080.

5For every battleסְאוֹן֙se.'OnH5430of the warriorסֹאֵ֣ןso.'EnH5431iswith confused noiseבְּרַ֔עַשׁbe.Ra.'ashH7494,and garmentsוְשִׂמְלָ֖הve.sim.LahH8071rolledמְגוֹלָלָ֣הme.go.la.LahH1556in bloodבְדָמִ֑יםve.da.MimH1818; but thisshall be with burningלִשְׂרֵפָ֖הlis.re.FahH8316andfuelמַאֲכֹ֥לֶתma.'a.Kho.letH3980of fireאֵֽשׁ׃'EshH784.

6For unto us a childיֶ֣לֶדYe.ledH3206is bornיֻלַּד־yu.lad-H3205,unto us a sonבֵּ֚ןbenH1121is givenנִתַּן־ni.tan-H5414:and the governmentH4951shall be upon his shoulderשִׁכְמ֑וֹshikh.MoH7926:and his nameשְׁמ֜וֹshe.MoH8034shall be calledוַיִּקְרָ֨אvai.yik.Ra'H7121Wonderfulפֶּ֠לֶאPe.le'H6382,Counsellorיוֹעֵץ֙yo.'EtzH3289,Mightyגִּבּ֔וֹרgi.BorH1368Godאֵ֣ל'elH410,Everlastingאֲבִיעַ֖ד'a.vi.'AdH5703Fatherאֲבִיעַ֖ד'a.vi.'AdH1,Princeשַׂר־sar-H8269of PeaceH7965.

7Of the increaseלְמַרְבֵּ֨הle.mar.behH4766of hisgovernmentהַמִּשְׂרָ֜הha.mis.RahH4951and peaceוּלְשָׁל֣וֹםu.le.sha.LomH7965there shall beno endקֵ֗ץKetzH7093,upon the throneכִּסֵּ֤אki.Se'H3678of Davidדָוִד֙da.VidH1732,and upon his kingdomמַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹmam.lakh.ToH4467,to orderלְהָכִ֤יןle.ha.KhinH3559it, and to establishוּֽלְסַעֲדָ֔הּu.le.sa.'a.DahH5582it with judgmentבְּמִשְׁפָּ֖טbe.mish.PatH4941and with righteousnessוּבִצְדָקָ֑הu.vitz.da.KahH6666from henceforth even forוְעַד־ve.'ad-H5704everעוֹלָ֔םo.LamH5769.The zealקִנְאַ֛תkin.'AtH7068of Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635will performתַּעֲשֶׂה־ta.'a.seh-H6213this.

8The Lordאֲדֹנָ֖י'a.do.NaiH136sentשָׁלַ֥חsha.LachH7971a wordדָּבָ֛רda.VarH1697into Jacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֑בbe.ya.'a.KoH3290,and it hath lightedוְנָפַ֖לve.na.FalH5307upon Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃be.Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

9And all the peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971shall knowוְיָדְעוּ֙ve.ya.de.'UH3045, evenEphraimאֶפְרַ֖יִם'ef.Ra.yimH669and the inhabitantוְיוֹשֵׁ֣בve.yo.ShevH3427of Samariaשֹׁמְר֑וֹןsho.me.RonH8111,that sayלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559in the prideבְּגַאֲוָ֛הbe.ga.'a.VahH1346and stoutnessוּבְגֹ֥דֶלu.ve.Go.delH1433of heartלֵבָ֖בle.VavH3824,

10The bricksלְבֵנִ֥יםle.ve.NimH3843are fallen downנָפָ֖לוּna.Fa.luH5307,but we will buildנִבְנֶ֑הniv.NehH1129with hewn stonesוְגָזִ֣יתve.ga.ZitH1496:the sycomoresשִׁקְמִ֣יםshik.MimH8256are cut downגֻּדָּ֔עוּgu.Da.'uH1438,but we will changeנַחֲלִֽיף׃na.cha.LifH2498them intocedarsוַאֲרָזִ֖יםva.'a.ra.ZimH730.

11Therefore Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068shall set upוַיְשַׂגֵּ֧בvay.sa.GevH7682the adversariesצָרֵ֥יtza.ReiH6862of Rezinרְצִ֖יןre.TzinH7526against him, and joinH5526his enemiesאֹיְבָ֖יו'o.ye.VavH341togetherH5526;

12The Syriansאֲרָ֣ם'a.RamH758beforeמִקֶּ֗דֶםmi.Ke.demH6924,and the Philistinesוּפְלִשְׁתִּים֙u.fe.lish.TimH6430behindמֵֽאָח֔וֹרme.'a.ChorH268;and they shall devourוַיֹּאכְל֥וּvai.yo.khe.LuH398Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478with open mouthפֶּ֑הPehH6310.For all this his angerאַפּ֔וֹ'a.PoH639is not turned awayH7725,but his handיָד֥וֹya.DoH3027isstretched out stillנְטוּיָֽה׃ne.tu.YahH5186.

13For the peopleוְהָעָ֥םve.ha.'AmH5971turnethשָׁ֖בshavH7725not unto him that smitethהַמַּכֵּ֑הוּha.ma.Ke.huH5221them, neither do they seekדָרָֽשׁוּ׃ סda.Ra.shuH1875YhwhH3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635.

14Therefore Yhwhיְהוָ֜הYah.wehH3068will cut offוַיַּכְרֵ֨תvai.yakh.RetH3772from Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗לmi.Yis.ra.'ElH3478headH7218and tailH2180,branchכִּפָּ֥הki.PahH3712and rushוְאַגְמ֖וֹןve.'ag.MonH100,in oneאֶחָֽד׃'e.ChadH259dayי֥וֹםYomH3117.

15The ancientזָקֵ֥ןza.KenH2205and honourableוּנְשׂוּא־ פָנִ֖יםu.ne.su'- fa.NimH5375 H6440,heH1931isthe headהָרֹ֑אשׁha.RoshH7218;and the prophetוְנָבִ֥יאve.na.Vi'H5030that teachethמֽוֹרֶה־mo.reh-H3384liesשֶּׁ֖קֶרShe.kerH8267, he isthe tailהַזָּנָֽב׃ha.za.NavH2180.

16For the leadersמְאַשְּׁרֵ֥יme.'a.she.ReiH833of this peopleהָֽעָם־ha.'om-H5971cause themto errמַתְעִ֑יםmat.'ImH8582; and they that areledוּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יוu.me.'u.sha.RavH833of them aredestroyedמְבֻלָּעִֽים׃me.vu.la.'ImH1104.

17Therefore the Lordאֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.NaiH136shall have no joyיִשְׂמַ֣ח׀yis.MachH8055in their young menבַּחוּרָ֜יוba.chu.RavH970,neither shall have mercyיְרַחֵ֔םye.ra.ChemH7355on their fatherlessיְתֹמָ֤יוye.to.MavH3490and widowsאַלְמְנֹתָיו֙'al.me.no.TavH490: for every one isan hypocriteחָנֵ֣ףcha.NefH2611and an evildoerוּמֵרַ֔עu.me.Ra'H7489,and every mouthפֶּ֖הpehH6310speakethדֹּבֵ֣רdo.VerH1696follyנְבָלָ֑הne.va.LahH5039.For all this his angerאַפּ֔וֹ'a.PoH639is not turned awayשָׁ֣בshavH7725,but his handיָד֥וֹya.DoH3027isstretched out stillנְטוּיָֽה׃ne.tu.YahH5186.

18For wickednessרִשְׁעָ֔הrish.'AhH7564burnethבָעֲרָ֤הva.'a.RahH1197as the fireH784:it shall devourתֹּאכֵ֑לto.KhelH398the briersשָׁמִ֥ירsha.MirH8068and thornsוָשַׁ֖יִתva.Sha.yitH7898,and shall kindleוַתִּצַּת֙va.ti.TzatH3341in the thicketsבְּסִֽבְכֵ֣יbe.siv.KheiH5442of the forestהַיַּ֔עַרhai.Ya.'arH3293,and they shall mount upוַיִּֽתְאַבְּכ֖וּvai.yit.'a.be.KhuH55likethe lifting upגֵּא֥וּתge.'UtH1348of smokeעָשָֽׁן׃'a.ShanH6227.

19Through the wrathבְּעֶבְרַ֛תbe.'ev.RatH5678of Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635is the landאָ֑רֶץ'A.retzH776darkenedנֶעְתַּ֣םne'.TamH6272,and the peopleהָעָם֙ha.'AmH5971shall be as the fuelכְּמַאֲכֹ֣לֶתke.ma.'a.Kho.letH3980of the fireאֵ֔שׁ'EshH784:no manH376shall spareיַחְמֹֽלוּ׃yach.Mo.luH2550his brotherאָחִ֖יו'a.ChivH251.

20And he shall snatchוַיִּגְזֹ֤רvai.yig.ZorH1504on the right handיָמִין֙ya.MinH3225,and be hungryH7457;and he shall eatוַיֹּ֥אכַלvai.Yo.khalH398on the left handשְׂמֹ֖אולse.MolH8040,and they shall not be satisfiedשָׂבֵ֑עוּsa.Ve.'uH7646:they shall eatיֹאכֵֽלוּ׃yo.Khe.luH398every manאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376the fleshבְּשַׂר־be.sar-H1320of his own armזְרֹע֖וֹze.ro.'OH2220:

21Manassehמְנַשֶּׁ֣הme.na.ShehH4519,Ephraimאֶפְרַ֗יִם'ef.Ra.yimH669;and Ephraimוְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ve.'ef.Ra.yimH669,Manassehמְנַשֶּׁ֔הme.na.ShehH4519: andthey togetherיַחְדָּ֥וyach.DavH3162shall beagainst Judahיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063.For all this his angerאַפּ֔וֹ'a.PoH639is not turned awayשָׁ֣בshavH7725,but his handיָד֥וֹya.DoH3027isstretched out stillנְטוּיָֽה׃ סne.tu.YahH5186.

Commentaries on Isaiah 9