CHAPTER 9 May 19 
Unto Us a Child Is Born
But there shall be no more 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 it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined. 3You have multiplied the nation, but You have not increased their joy.  They will rejoice before You according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4For the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, You have broken as in the day of Midian. 5For all the armour of the armed man in the noisy battle and the garments rolled in blood will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Divine Warrior, Father of the Eternal Age, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.

Punishment 
8The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it falls upon Israel. 9All the people will know, including Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart, 10The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone. The sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place. 11Therefore Yahweh will set up on high against him the adversaries of Rezin, and will stir up his enemies, 12the Syrians in front and the Philistines behind; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. 13Yet the people have not turned to Him who struck them, neither have they sought Yahweh of Armies. 14Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in one day. 15The elder and the honourable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail. 16For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed. 17Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for each one is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. 18For wickedness burns like a fire, it devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. 19Through the wrath of Yahweh of Armies, the land is burnt up; and the people are the fuel for the fire. No one spares his brother. 20One will devour on the right hand, and be hungry; and he will eat on the left hand, and they will not be satisfied. Everyone will eat the flesh of his own arm: 21Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

Commentary

9:2 Quoted in Mt. 4:13-16 about how Jesus began His ministry in the areas of northern Israel which were most despised by devout Jews for being associated with Gentiles. God loves working in this way- firstly revealing Himself to those despised by others.
9:6 For to us a child is born- This must have had some primary fulfilment in the promised son of sign who had been promised in Isaiah’s time in previous chapters (7:14; 8:3). This son was to be known as ‘God with us’, ‘Immanuel’, but this didn’t make him God Himself in person. The major fulfilment of the prophecy in Jesus likewise doesn’t make Him to be God Himself. His name was to be called “Wonderful, Counsellor, Divine Warrior”; Jesus as God’s Son carried God’s Name (Jn. 5:43), and therefore all the titles of God can be applied to Him. The list of titles here seems borrowed from the traditional titles of the rulers of the surrounding nations. The point was that Messiah was to be Israel’s true king, reigning on God’s behalf and carrying His Name and authority. 
9:7 Christ will rule “on the throne of David” in the sense that His Kingdom on earth will have a literal centre in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Lk. 1:31-35). 
 9:12 With open mouth- The nations surrounding Judah are here likened to a beast; when we later read of a dramatic beast in conflict with God’s people in the last days, this may also refer to a confederacy comprised of the nations which surround Israel.