King James Version

Isaiah 9:2

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

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Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

In the Hebrew text this line is Isaiah 9:1.

הָעָם֙haamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.הַהֹלְכִ֣יםhaholekhimthe walkהָלַךְdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the walk”, a verb used as a describing wordH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְbachoshekhin darkחֹשֶׁךְpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in dark”, the ordinary formH2822the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickednessdark(-ness), night, obscurity.רָא֖וּravseeרָאָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “see”, a completed actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…א֣וֹרorbrightאוֹרnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “bright”, the ordinary formH216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun.גָּד֑וֹלgadolgreatגָּדוֹלadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.יֹשְׁבֵי֙yoshevedwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, participle, construct — “dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בְּאֶ֣רֶץbeeretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.צַלְמָ֔וֶתtsalmavetshadow of deathצַלְמָוֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “shadow of death”, the ordinary formH6757shade of death, i.e. the grave (figuratively, calamity)shadow of death.א֖וֹרorbrightאוֹרnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “bright”, the ordinary formH216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun.נָגַ֥הּnagahlightenנָגַהּverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “lighten”, a completed actionH5050to glitter; causatively, to illuminate(en-) lighten, (cause to) shine.עֲלֵיהֶֽםaleyhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(9-1) 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Young’s Literal Translation

The people who are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light hath shone upon them.

World English Bible

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.

Darby Translation

the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.

Douay-Rheims

The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(9-1) 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.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: ye that dwell in the region and shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει, ἴδετε φῶς μέγα· οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ σκιᾷ θανάτου, φῶς λάμψει ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς.

Quoted in

Matthew 4:15 Matthew 4:15 · King James VersionThe land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;Matthew 4:15 · King James VersionOpen the Source
That it might be fulfilled
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

Fulfilled in

Matthew 4:16 Matthew 4:16 · King James VersionThe people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.Matthew 4:16 · King James VersionOpen the Source
great light · NT explicit
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.