The Great Isaiah Scroll, the best preserved of the biblical scrolls found at Qumran from the second century BC, contains all the verses in this chapter.
The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 21 verses in Christian Bibles, but 20 verses in the Hebrew Bible with the following verse numbering comparison:[1]
Verse numbering for Isaiah 8 and 9
English
Hebrew
9:1
8:23
9:2–21
9:1–20
This article generally follows the common numbering in Christian English Bible versions, with notes to the numbering in Hebrew Bible versions.
The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.[5] Isaiah 9 is a part of the Prophecies about Judah and Israel (Isaiah 1-12). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah; using Hebrew Bible verse numbering:
[{S} 8:19-23] 9:1-6 {P} 9:7-12 {S} 9:13-20 {S}
The government of the promised son (9:1–7)
Verse 1
For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the nations.
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.
The Gospel of Matthewchapter 4 (verses 14–15) cites this and the next verse as a fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies of Jesus. In the Greek "by way of the sea" (or "toward the sea") refers to a specific route, and Jones feels it should perhaps be more accurately read as "on the road to the sea."[6] In Isaiah this verse is in the section describing the Assyrian invasion of northern Israel, so "toward the sea, beyond the Jordan" refers to the geography from the view point of the Assyrian invaders. To them the region of Zebulun and Naphtali would be across the Jordan River on the way to the Mediterranean.[7]
Verse 2
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom
Edersheim (1883) notes that this verse is applied to the Messiah in the Aramaic Targum.[8] In rabbinical interpretation, such as Joseph Herman Hertz (1968) citing Rashi and Luzzatto, the name is taken as referring to the 'crown prince.'[9] Rashi, having applied Emmanuel to Hezekiah also applies the Pele Yoez, "Wonderful Counsellor" prophecy to Hezekiah, saying that God "called the name of Hezekiah "Prince of Peace"."[10] In the Greek Septuagint the name is translated, "Messenger of Great Counsel" as a description of the prince: "he shall be named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him."[11][12]
Christian interpretation
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.
"Everlasting Father": The New Oxford Annotated Bible interprets it "God as the eternal creator" Isaiah 40:28.[14]
"Prince of Peace": According to the New Oxford Annotated Bible, it is "a messianic title in Judaism and early Christianity".[14]
"Messenger of great counsel": is translated as "Angel of the great Council" in The Apostolic Constitutions. [15]
In Christian interpretation, based partly on the proximity of a quote of Isaiah 9:2 found in Matthew 4,[16] the name is taken as referring to Jesus and Messianic prophecy. The full verse "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." is quoted in the libretto of Handel's Messiah.
Verse 7
That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth perform this.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
^Alfred Edersheim The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah 1883 "and there is a very curious comment in Debarim R. 1 (ed. Warsh., p. 4a) in connection with a Haggadic discussion of Genesis 43:14, which, however fanciful, makes a Messianic application of this passage - also in Bemidbar R. 11." Philologos | The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah | Appendix 9Archived 2016-05-13 at the Wayback Machine
^Joseph Herman HertzThe Pentateuch and Haftorahs 1968 "This clearly indicates that the 'crown prince' is the person referred to. pele-joez-el-gibbor-abi-ad-sar-shalom. i.e. Wonderful in counsel is God the mighty, the Everlasting Father, the Ruler of Peace (Rashi and Luzzatto)."
^Géza Vermès Studia post-biblica 1959 p62; reprinted in Scripture and tradition in Judaism: Haggadic studies 1983 p62 "Rashi, for instance, follows it in his commentary : The Holy One, blessed be He, who is a Wonderful Counsellor, a Mighty God, and the Father of Eternity, called the name of Hezekiah "Prince of Peace". It would be incorrect to see an ..."
^translation Tessa Rajak Jewish perspectives on Hellenistic rulers 2007 p261 "Because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder; and he shall be named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him." NB translation accords with that, or may be following Géza VermesScripture and tradition in Judaism: Haggadic studies. p62 1959, 1983