The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 9 Threats Against the Kingdom of Israel

 The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 9

Threats Against the Kingdom of Israel

8 The Lord sent a word to Jacob, and it fell on Israel.

9 And all this people will know it, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who in pride and haughtiness of heart say,

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will rebuild them with hewn stones; the sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.

11 Therefore the Lord will stir up the adversaries of Rezin against him and incite his enemies.

12 The Syrians will come before him, and the Philistines behind him, and they will devour Israel with open mouths. Yet for all this his anger has not turned away, but his hand is still stretched out.

13 Yet this people has not turned back to those who struck them, nor sought the Lord of hosts. 

14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

15 (The elder and the honorable man are the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.)

16 For the leaders of this people are deceitful, and those who are led by them are devoured.

17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, nor will he have compassion on their orphans and widows, for they are all hypocrites and evildoers, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness rages like a fire; it devours briers and thorns; it will kindle in the thicket of the forest; thick clouds of smoke will rise on high.

19 Because of the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the land will be darkened, and the people will be like fuel for the fire; no one will spare his brother.

20 If he cuts off the left side, they will not be satisfied; each will eat the flesh of his own arm:

21 Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, and they will both be against Judah. ​​For all this, his anger has not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.