Isaiah 9
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืณ
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 9 of 66 | Day: 156 of 742
Date: July 17, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 9 of Yeshayahu contains one of the most celebrated pairings in all of Neviโim: an oracle of dawning light for Yehudah (verses 1-6) set against an extended poem of gathering darkness for the Northern Kingdom (verses 7-20). The chapter opens with the unforgettable image of โthe people walking in darknessโ who โhave seen a great lightโ (ืืขื ืืืืืื ืืืฉื ืจืื ืืืจ ืืืื). The classical commentators โ Rashi, Radak, and Metzudat David alike โ read this light historically: the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin, darkened by dread of Sancherivโs seemingly unstoppable advance, would see a great light in the miraculous overnight destruction of the Assyrian camp in the days of Chizkiyahu. The deliverance is compared to โthe day of Midianโ โ Gideonโs victory in Shoftim 7 โ and Rashi notes the precision of the parallel: both armies fell in a single night, and both, by tradition, on the night of the Omer harvest. Verse 4 sharpens the miracleโs strangeness: ordinary victories come with the clamor of battle and garments rolled in blood, but this one would come silently, โas fuel for fire,โ with no sword drawn.
At the center of the light oracle stands the famous verse โFor a child has been born to usโ (ืื ืืื ืืืื ืื ื), followed by the cascade of names: Pele Yoetz, El Gibbor, Avi Ad, Sar Shalom. The traditional commentators are careful in parsing this string. Rashi, Radak, and Metzudat David all read the first three titles as descriptions of God โ the Wondrous Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father โ who bestows on the child the fourth name, Sar Shalom, โPrince of Peace.โ The child is Chizkiyahu, in whose reign the salvation would come and in whose days there would be peace and truth. Radak beautifully connects each divine epithet to an event of Chizkiyahuโs own story: Pele for the wonder of the sun reversing its course, Yoetz for the divine counsel that stood while Sancherivโs counsel collapsed, El Gibbor for the might that felled a vast army in a moment, Avi Ad for the Master of time who added fifteen years to Chizkiyahuโs life. Verse 6 contains a famous scribal anomaly โ the closed (final) mem in the middle of the word ืืืจืื โ which Radak cites as a hint that the promised dominion remains โclosedโ through the long exile, awaiting the ultimate king, the Melech HaMashiach. Rashi records the striking teaching of Chazal (Sanhedrin 94a) that God wished to make Chizkiyahu the Mashiach and Sancheriv Gog uMagog, and the letter was sealed shut when the moment passed.
With verse 7 the prophecy pivots sharply. โThe Lord sent a word against Yaakov, and it fell upon Yisraelโ โ and from here to the end of the chapter (and onward through 10:4) runs a formal judgment poem against Efrayim and Shomron, built in strophes that each close with the terrible refrain: โFor all this His anger has not turned back, and His hand is stretched out stillโ (ืืื ืืืช ืื ืฉื ืืคื ืืขืื ืืื ื ืืืื). Radak articulates the refrainโs inner logic with devastating simplicity: because they did not return, His anger does not return. The poemโs first target is the Northern Kingdomโs arrogance, captured in the boast of verse 9: โBricks have fallen โ we will rebuild with hewn stone; sycamores are cut down โ we will replace them with cedars.โ Disaster is treated as a construction opportunity; every blow is explained away as mikreh, mere chance. Metzudat David identifies this refusal to perceive Godโs hand in events as the precise failure the prophets came to correct: โthe people did not turn back to the One who struck themโ (verse 12).
The poem then anatomizes the nationโs collapse from the top down. God cuts off โhead and tail, palm branch and reed, in a single dayโ โ and the prophet decodes his own image in verse 14: the elder and honored man is the head, the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail. Radak explains why the false prophet ranks as the tail: these men rose from the lowest of the people and flattered the great with comfortable predictions in exchange for bread and wine. When โthe leaders of this people are misleaders,โ those who are led are swallowed up (verse 15). The corruption is so total that even the classes normally shielded by divine compassion โ young men, orphans, widows โ find no pity, โfor everyone is a flatterer and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks vilenessโ (verse 16). Then comes one of Yeshayahuโs most penetrating theological images: wickedness itself burns like fire (ืื ืืขืจื ืืืฉ ืจืฉืขื), consuming first the briers and thorns and then igniting the thickets of the forest. Sin is not merely punished by fire; sin is the fire, and society is its fuel.
The final strophe (verses 18-20) shows the fireโs social form: civil dissolution. No man spares his brother; one snatches on the right and remains hungry, devours on the left and is not satisfied, until โeach man eats the flesh of his own armโ โ which Targum Yonatan, cited by Rashi, renders as each man plundering the possessions of his own kin. The climax names names: โMenashe against Efrayim, and Efrayim against Menasheโ โ brother tribes, sons of Yosef โ โand together they are against Yehudah.โ The kingdom that boasted it would rebuild in hewn stone is devouring itself from within, a fulfillment already visible in the assassinations and civil wars recorded in Melachim II 15. And still the refrain sounds, its door left open into chapter 10: the hand is stretched out still. The chapter thus holds Sefer Yeshayahuโs two great possibilities side by side โ a people walking in darkness can be shown a great light, and a people insisting on darkness can find that even their light becomes fire.
ืคืจืง ืืณ ยท Chapter 9
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึธืขึธืึ ืึทืึนืึฐืึดึฃืื ืึผึทืึนึืฉืึถืึฐ ืจึธืึืึผ ืึฃืึนืจ ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึนึฝืฉืึฐืึตืึ ืึผึฐืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืฆึทืึฐืึธึืึถืช ืึืึนืจ ื ึธืึทึฅืึผ ืขึฒืึตืืึถึฝืื
English:
aSee the first note at 5.30. The people that walked in darknessHave seen a brilliant light;On those who dwelt in a land of gloomLight has dawned.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึดืจึฐืึผึดึฃืืชึธ ืึทืึผึืึนื (ืื) [ืึืึน] ืึดืึฐืึผึทึฃืึฐืชึผึธ ืึทืฉืึผึดืึฐืึธึื ืฉืึธืึฐืึคืึผ ืึฐืคึธื ึถึืืึธึ ืึผึฐืฉืึดืึฐืึทึฃืช ืึผึทืงึผึธืฆึดึืืจ ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึธืึดึืืืึผ ืึผึฐืึทืึผึฐืงึธึฅื ืฉืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
You have magnified that nation,Have given it great joy;They have rejoiced before YouAs they rejoice at reaping time,As they exultWhen dividing spoil.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃืโื ืึถืชึพืขึนึฃื ืกึปืึผึณืึืึน ืึฐืึตืชึ ืึทืึผึตึฃื ืฉืึดืึฐืึืึน ืฉืึตึืึถื ืึทื ึผึนืึตึฃืฉื ืึผึืึน ืึทืึดืชึผึนึืชึธ ืึผึฐืึฅืึนื ืึดืึฐืึธึฝืื
English:
For the yoke that they boreAnd the stick on their backโThe rod of their taskmasterโYou have broken as on the day of Midian.bthe day of Midian See Judg. 7โ8.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึคื ืืืึพืกึฐืืึนืึ ืกึนืึตึฃื ืึผึฐืจึทึืขึทืฉื ืึฐืฉืึดืึฐืึธึื ืึฐืืึนืึธืึธึฃื ืึฐืึธืึดึืื ืึฐืึธืึฐืชึธึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึตืคึธึื ืึทืึฒืึนึฅืึถืช ืึตึฝืฉืื
English:
Truly, all the boots put on to stamp withcto stamp with Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields โin wickednessโ; cf. Targum. And all the garments donned in infamyHave been fed to the flames,Devoured by fire.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฝืึพืึถึฃืึถื ืึปืึผึทืึพืึธึื ืึผ ืึผึตึื ื ึดืชึผึทืึพืึธึื ืึผ ืึทืชึผึฐืึดึฅื ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืจึธึื ืขึทืึพืฉืึดืึฐืึืึน ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืจึธึจื ืฉืึฐืึืึน ืคึผึถึ ืึถื ืืึนืขึตืฅึ ืึตึฃื ืึผึดืึผึืึนืจ ืึฒืึดืึพืขึทึื ืฉืึทืจึพืฉืึธืึฝืึนืื
English:
For a child has been born to us,A son has been given us.And authority has settled on his shoulders.He has been namedโThe Mighty God is planning grace;dgrace As in 25.1. The Eternal Father,eFather See note at Deut. 32.6. a peaceable rulerโโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
(ืื ืจืื) [ืึฐืึทืจึฐืึผึตึจื] ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืจึธึื ืึผืึฐืฉืึธืึฃืึนื ืึตึฝืืึพืงึตึืฅ ืขึทืึพืึผึดืกึผึตึคื ืึธืึดืึ ืึฐืขึทืึพืึทืึฐืึทืึฐืชึผึืึน ืึฐืึธืึดึคืื ืึนืชึธืึผึ ืึผึฝืึฐืกึทืขึฒืึธึืึผ ืึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึื ืึผืึดืฆึฐืึธืงึธึื ืึตึฝืขึทืชึผึธืึ ืึฐืขึทืึพืขืึนืึธึื ืงึดื ึฐืึทึืช ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืชึผึทืขึฒืฉืึถืึพืึผึนึฝืืชืย {ืค}
English:
In token of abundant authorityAnd of peace without limitUpon Davidโs throne and kingdom,That it may be firmly establishedIn justice and in equityNow and evermore.The zeal of GOD of HostsShall bring this to pass.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึผึธืึธึืจ ืฉืึธืึทึฅื ืึฒืึนื ึธึื ืึผึฐืึทืขึฒืงึนึื ืึฐื ึธืคึทึื ืึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึฝืื
English:
The SovereignLet loose a wordfLet loose a word Septuagint reads โLet loose pestilenceโ; cf. Amos 4.10. In vv. 7โ20 Isaiah alludes to and builds upon Amos 4.10โ12. against JacobAnd it fell upon Israel.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธึฝืึฐืขืึผึ ืึธืขึธึฃื ืึผึปืึผึืึน ืึถืคึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึฐืืึนืฉืึตึฃื ืฉืึนืึฐืจึืึนื ืึผึฐืึทืึฒืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึนึฅืึถื ืึตืึธึื ืึตืืึนึฝืจื
English:
But all the people notedgnoted 1QIsแต reads โshouted.โโEphraim and the inhabitants of SamariaโIn arrogance and haughtiness:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึตื ึดึฅืื ื ึธืคึธึืืึผ ืึฐืึธืึดึฃืืช ื ึดืึฐื ึถึื ืฉืึดืงึฐืึดึฃืื ืึผึปืึผึธึืขืึผ ืึทืึฒืจึธืึดึืื ื ึทืึฒืึดึฝืืฃื
English:
โBricks have fallenโWeโll rebuild with dressed stone;Sycamores have been felledโWeโll grow cedars instead!โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฐืฉืึทืึผึตึงื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึถืชึพืฆึธืจึตึฅื ืจึฐืฆึดึืื ืขึธืึธึืื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึนืึฐืึธึืื ืึฐืกึทืึฐืกึตึฝืึฐื
English:
So GOD let the enemies of Rezinhthe enemies of Rezin Emendation yields โits enemies.โ Triumph over itAnd stirred up its foesโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึฒืจึธึฃื ืึดืงึผึถึืึถื ืึผืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดืืึ ืึตืึธืึืึนืจ ืึทืึผึนืืึฐืึฅืึผ ืึถืชึพืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผึฐืืืึพืคึผึถึื ืึผึฐืืืึพืึนืืชึ ืึนืึพืฉืึธึฃื ืึทืคึผึืึน ืึฐืขึืึนื ืึธืึฅืึน ื ึฐืืึผืึธึฝืื
English:
Aram from the eastAnd Philistia from the westโWho devoured IsraelWith greedy mouths.Yet Godโs anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืขึธึฅื ืึนืึพืฉืึธึื ืขึทืึพืึทืึผึทืึผึตึืืึผ ืึฐืึถืชึพืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึนึฅื ืึธืจึธึฝืฉืืึผืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
For this people has not turned backTo the One who struck it;They have not sought GOD of Hosts.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทืึฐืจึตึจืช ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึดืึผึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืจึนึงืืฉื ืึฐืึธื ึธึื ืึผึดืคึผึธึฅื ืึฐืึทืึฐืึืึนื ืึฅืึนื ืึถืึธึฝืื
English:
So GOD will cut off from IsraelHead and tail,Palm branch and reed,In a single day.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึธืงึตึฅื ืึผื ึฐืฉืึฝืึผืึพืคึธื ึดึืื ืึฃืึผื ืึธืจึนึืืฉื ืึฐื ึธืึดึฅืื ืึฝืึนืจึถืึพืฉืึผึถึืงึถืจ ืึฅืึผื ืึทืึผึธื ึธึฝืื
English:
Elders and magnatesiand magnates Emendation yields โwho practice partiality.โโSuch are the heads;Prophets who give false instruction,Such are the tailsjtails Emendation yields โpalm branchesโ; the elders and the prophets are the leaders, the people are the led; cf. 3.1โ2, 12.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดึฝืึฐืึืึผ ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึฐืจึตึฅื ืึธึฝืขึธืึพืึทืึผึถึื ืึทืชึฐืขึดึืื ืึผืึฐืึปืฉืึผึธืจึธึืื ืึฐืึปืึผึธืขึดึฝืืื
English:
That peopleโs leaders have been misleaders,So those who are led have been confused.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 16
Hebrew:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตึจื ืขึทืึพืึผึทืืึผืจึธึืื ืึนืึพืึดืฉืึฐืึทึฃืโื ืึฒืึนื ึธึื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึฐืชึนืึธึคืื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึทืึฐืึฐื ืึนืชึธืืึ ืึนึฃื ืึฐืจึทืึตึื ืึผึดึคื ืึปืึผืึนึ ืึธื ึตึฃืฃ ืึผืึตืจึทึืข ืึฐืืืึพืคึผึถึื ืึผึนืึตึฃืจ ื ึฐืึธืึธึื ืึผึฐืืืึพืึนืืชึ ืึนืึพืฉืึธึฃื ืึทืคึผึืึน ืึฐืขึืึนื ืึธืึฅืึน ื ึฐืืึผืึธึฝืื
English:
That is why the SovereignWill not sparekspare Cf. Arabic samuแธฅa. 1QIsแต reads yแธฅmw. their youths,Nor show compassionTo their orphans and widows;For all are ungodly and wicked,And every mouth speaks impiety.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 17
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืขึฒืจึธึคื ืึธืึตืฉืึ ืจึดืฉืึฐืขึธึื ืฉืึธืึดึฅืืจ ืึธืฉืึทึืึดืช ืชึผึนืืึตึื ืึทืชึผึดืฆึผึทืชึ ืึผึฐืกึดึฝืึฐืึตึฃื ืึทืึผึทึืขึทืจ ืึทืึผึดึฝืชึฐืึทืึผึฐืึืึผ ืึผึตืึฅืึผืช ืขึธืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
Already wickedness has blazed forth like a fireDevouring thorn and thistle.It has kindled the thickets of the wood,Which have turned into billowing smoke.lWhich have turned into billowing smoke Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Yet Godโs anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.mYet Godโs anger has not turned back, / And the divine arm is outstretched still Moved down from v. 16 for clarity.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 18
Hebrew:
ืึผึฐืขึถืึฐืจึทึืช ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ื ึถืขึฐืชึผึทึฃื ืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึทืึฐืึดึคื ืึธืขึธืึ ืึผึฐืึทืึฒืึนึฃืึถืช ืึตึืฉื ืึดึฅืืฉื ืึถืึพืึธืึดึืื ืึนึฅื ืึทืึฐืึนึฝืืึผื
English:
By the fury of GOD of Hosts,The earth was shaken.nearth was shaken Cf. note at 5.25. Next, the people became like devouring fire:They did not spare each other.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 19
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึนึคืจ ืขึทืึพืึธืึดืืึ ืึฐืจึธืขึตึื ืึทืึผึนึฅืืึทื ืขึทืึพืฉืึฐืึนึืืื ืึฐืึนึฃื ืฉืึธืึตึืขืึผ ืึดึฅืืฉื ืึผึฐืฉืึทืจึพืึฐืจึนืขึืึน ืึนืืึตึฝืืึผื
English:
They snatched on the right, but remained hungry,And consumed on the left without being sated.Each devoured the flesh of its own kindredoown kindred Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields โfellowโ; cf. Targum.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 20
Hebrew:
ืึฐื ึทืฉืึผึถึฃื ืึถืชึพืึถืคึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึฐืึถืคึฐืจึทึืึดืึ ืึถืชึพืึฐื ึทืฉืึผึถึื ืึทืึฐืึผึธึฅื ืึตึืึผึธื ืขึทืึพืึฐืืึผืึธึื ืึผึฐืืืึพืึนืืชึ ืึนืึพืฉืึธึฃื ืึทืคึผึืึน ืึฐืขึืึนื ืึธืึฅืึน ื ึฐืืึผืึธึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Manasseh Ephraimโs, and Ephraim Manassehโs,pManasseh โฆ Manassehโs Alludes to the civil wars of 2 Kings 15.10, 14โ16, 25. And both of them against Judah!qagainst Judah Cf. 7.1โ9. Yet Godโs anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.
โถCommentaries (1)