NOTES ON ISAIAH 9:6-7

“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, Counseller, The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

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.”–Isaiah 9:6 -7

 

1.  Underlined words in the verse indicate that the Greek or Hebrew word(s) require more than one English word in its or their translation.  Most of the phrases are from The Englishman’s Hebrew Concordance of the Old Testament or The Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament by George V. Wigram.  In some cases words were combined for convenience.

2.  The superscript number (¹) appearing beside the word(s) in the verse indicates Strong’s number for his Greek [G] or Hebrew [H] Dictionary.

3.  The bracketed acronyms [S] at the end of the definition are from the following references used in this study:

· [ASB] – THE ANNOTATED STUDY BIBLE

· [B] – The Companion Bible and A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament by E. W. Bullinger

· [C] – Cruden’s Unabridged Concordance by Alexander Cruden

· [CW] – Crosswalk.com [either Greek Lexicon based on Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others or OT Hebrew Lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon]

· [ED] – EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF BIBLE WORDS – Stephen D. Renn, Editor

· [JFB] – Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

· [JG] – Gill’s Commentary by John Gill

· [KWSB] – Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible by AMG

· [MRV] – Word Studies in the New Testament by Marvin R. Vincent

· [JW] – John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible

· [N] – Nave’s Study Bible

· [S] – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong

· [SS] – The Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong Fully Revised and Corrected by John R. Kohlenberger III and James A. Swanson

· [TSK] – The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge

· [TW] – Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament by R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke

· [V] - An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W. E. Vine

· [W] – American Dictionary of the English Language – Noah Webster 1828

· [WSD] –The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament by Warren G. Baker and Eugene Carpenter or The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament Edited by Spiros Zodhiates [and with occasional input from Strong’s Complete Word Study Concordance Expanded Edition also by AMG]

[WW] – Old Testament Word Studies by William Wilson

 

9:6 For³⁵⁸⁸ unto us a Child³²⁰⁶ is born,³²⁰⁵ unto us a Son¹¹²¹ is given:⁵⁴¹⁴  and the government⁴⁹⁵¹ shall be upon⁵⁹²¹ His shoulder:⁷⁹²⁶ and His name⁸⁰³⁴ shall be called^{1961, 7121} Wonderful,⁶³⁸² Counseller,³²⁸⁹ The mighty¹³⁶⁸ GOD,⁴¹⁰ The everlasting⁵⁷⁰³ Father,¹ The Prince of⁸²⁶⁹ Peace.⁷⁹⁶⁵

For:  A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent.[S]  The ground of these great expectations.[JFB]

unto us:  For the benefit of the Jews first (Israel is here the speaker), and then the Gentiles (compare "unto you", Luke 2:11).[JFB]

a Child:  From H3205; something born, that is, a lad or offspring.[S]  The Gift-Child in this passage is the same divine Child as Immanuel (7:14).  Again, using the prophetic perfect, the prophet sees Him as though He was already born.[ASB]  The Immanuel, child of the Virgin, 7:14.[JFB]  This is an illustrious prophecy of the incarnation of Christ, with an enumeration of those characters in which He stands most nearly related to mankind as their Saviour; and of others by which His infinite majesty and Godhead are shown. He shall appear as a child, born of a woman, born as a Jew, under the law, but not in the way of ordinary generation. He is a Son given-the human nature, in which the fullness of the Godhead was to dwell, being produced by the creative energy of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin.  See Matthew 1:20, 21, 23, 25; Luke 1:35; and chapter 7:14.[Adam Clarke]

is born:  A primitive root; to bear young; causatively to beget; medically to act as midwife; specifically to show lineage.[S]

a Son:  From H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc.[S]

is [Figure of Speech—Prolepsis; or, Anticipation, i.e., anticipating what is going to be, and speaking of future things as present] given:  A primitive root; to give, used with great latitude of application (put, make, etc.).[S]  Psalms 2:7; God's gratuitous gift, on which man had no claim (John 3:16, Romans 6:23).[JFB]

the government:  From H8280; empire.[S]  Dominion, rule.[SS]  It indicates the extent of rulership; dominion that is under authority.[WSD]  An empire, kingdom or state; any territory over which the right of sovereignty is extended.[W]  The Hebrew word misrah occurs only in these verses (6, 7).  Like politeuma (“conversation” Philippians 3:20).[B]

shall be upon:  Properly the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural, often with prefix, or as conjugation with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications.[S]  Denoting resting.[W]  

His shoulder:  From H7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively the spur of a hill.[S]  Some ensign of office was usually borne on the shoulder.[WW]  To wear something on the shoulder is to wear or display it proudly and assert authority.  [Here] “The government shall be upon His shoulder”.  The child is to be a King and Ruler.[TW]  government . . . upon . . . shoulder—The ensign of office used to be worn on the shoulder, in token of sustaining the government (Isaiah 22:22). Here the government on Messiah's shoulder is in marked antithesis to the "yoke and staff" of the oppressor on Israel's "shoulder" (Isaiah 9:4). He shall receive the kingdom of the earth from the Father, to vindicate it from the misrule of those to whom it was entrusted to hold it for and under the Most High, but who sought to hold it in defiance of His right; the Father asserts His right by the Son, the "Heir of all things," who will hold it for Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).[JFB]  That is, the ensign of government; the scepter, the sword, the key, or the like, which was borne upon or hung from the shoulder.[Adam Clarke]  The government shall be upon His shoulder —His only.  He shall not only wear the badge of it upon His shoulder (the key of the house of David, chapter 22:22), but He shall bear the burden of it.  The Father shall devolve it upon Him, so that He shall have an incontestable right to govern; and He shall undertake it, so that no doubt can be made of His governing well, for He shall set His shoulder to it, and will never complain, as Moses did, of his being overcharged. I am not able to bear all this people, Numbers 11:11, 14.[Matthew Henry]

and … shall be called:  A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary).[H1961]  A primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (that is, properly address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications).[H7121][S] 

His name:  A primitive word (perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character.[S]  Name = He Himself.  Put by Figure of Speech—Metonymy (Of adjunct) for the person himself.[B]  The name is supposed to correspond to the nature of a person or thing; or to express some qualities relating to them.  Hence the name of God sometimes signifies the nature, and properties, and attributes of God, as His power, wisdom, goodness, majesty, holiness, justice, and truth.  Thus, also, to be called by a name is frequently, in Scripture, the same as to be what a person or thing is called or named.[WW]  This is not to be taken for a description of His name, but of His glorious nature and qualities.[JW]  His Deity and perfections, that which He really is, and is acknowledged to be (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Revelation 19:13).  His name shall be called Wonderful, the mighty God; that is, He is wonderful, He is the mighty God.[C]

and His name shall be called: His essential characteristics shall be.[JFB] His name shall be called Wonderful:  Not that He should be commonly called among men by this name, nor by any of the following; but that He should appear to be, or to have that in Him, or to do what would sufficiently answer to this name, and to the rest …[JG]

Wonderful:  From H6381; a miracle.[S]  (Note, 8:18; Judges 13:18, Margin; 1 Timothy 3:16).  His whole manifestation is a wonder or miracle:  and great as have been the past wonders which He wrought for His people in Egypt at the Red Sea and the Jordan, He shall work still greater wonders for their deliverance hereafter (43:18, 19; Exodus 15:11; Psalms 77:11, 14, 78:12; Daniel 12:6).[JFB]  As being God manifested in the flesh, he was wonderful in his conception, birth, preaching, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension; wonderful in His person, and wonderful in His working.[Adam Clarke]  Justly is He called wonderful, for He is both God and man.  His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints; in His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, He was wonderful.  A constant series of wonders attended Him, and, without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness concerning Him.[Matthew Henry]

Counseller:  A primitive root; to advise; reflexively to deliberate or resolve.[S]  He is the Counsellor that expounds the law; shows its origin, nature, and claims; instructs, pleads for the guilty; and ever appears in the presence of God for men.[Adam Clarke]  He is the Counsellor, for He was intimately acquainted with the counsels of God from eternity, and He gives counsel to the children of men, in which He consults our welfare.  It is by Him that God has given us counsel, Psalm 16:7; Revelation 3:18.  He is the wisdom of the Father, and is made of God to us wisdom.[Matthew Henry]

Wonderful, Counseller:  Pele’ yoets is actually one term in Hebrew.  A wonder is indicative of a miracle.  Counselor is often used in parallel with king (compare Micah 4:9).  Thus miraculous counsel is given by this God-like King.[ASB]  The only hope of Judah, Isaiah claims, is to be found in the person of the  Messiah, Who is characterized by four compound names, the first being “Wonderful Counseller” (9:6).  The Child Who is to come, on Whose shoulders the government of the world shall rest, is One Whose plans, purposes, designs and decrees for His people are marvelous.  We further learn from 11:2 that “counsel” is a gift of God’s own Holy Spirit.  Consequently, Jesus Christ is revealed as the Counseller par excellence.[TW]  And so Christ is, because He hath been the Counseller of His church in all ages, and the Author and Giver of all those excellent counsels delivered not only by the apostles, but also by the prophets, and hath gathered and enlarged, and preserved His church, by admirable counsels and methods of His providence, and, in a word, hath in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2:3.[JW]

mighty:  Intensive from the same as H1397; powerful; by implication warrior, tyrant.[S] 

GOD:  Shortened from H352; strength; as adjective mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity).[S]  God, the Mighty One, as a title of majesty and power.[SS]  Hebrew El, as ‘The Mighty GOD” in 10:21. El is essentially the Almighty, though the word is never so rendered. El is Elohim in all His strength and power, El is God the Omnipotent.  El is the God Who knows all (first occurrence Genesis 14:18-22) and sees all (Genesis 16:13) and that performeth all things for His people (Psalm 57:2); and in Whom all the Divine attributes are concentrated.[B]

The mighty God:  The mighty God (El Gibor) is the strongest of these titles.  In Isaiah, El is always used of God and never refers to man. Gibor means “Hero”.  Together they describe One who is God Himself.[ASB]  The Hebrew root is commonly associated with warfare and has to do with the strength and vitality of the successful warrior.  It is not surprising that in such a [Israelite] society God was often depicted as a warrior.  God is the true prototype of the mighty man, and if an earthly warrior’s deeds are recounted, how much more should God’s be.  Thus the psalmists recount God’s mighty acts (106:8, 145:4, 11, 12; etc.) and in various places those attributes which a warrior-king might be expected to possess—wisdom, might, counsel and understanding—are attributed par excellence to God (Job 12:13; Proverbs 8:14).  Isaiah (9:6, compare 10:21) indicates that these will be the attributes of the Coming King, Whose name is the Mighty God as well as the Prince of Peace, but he also makes it plain that justice and righteousness will accompany His might (compare Psalm 89:13-14).[TW] This title can agree to no man but Christ, who was God as well as man, to Whom the title of God or Jehovah is given, both in the Old and New Testament.  And it is a true observation, that this Hebrew word El is never used in the singular number, of any creature, but only of the almighty God.[JW] HORSLEY translates: "God the mighty Hero" or “Warrior”, El Gibor.  "Unto us … God" is equivalent to "Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).[JFB]  The prevailing or conquering God.  He is The mighty God; God essentially and efficiently prevailing against His enemies, and destroying ours.[Adam Clarke]  He is the mighty God—God, the mighty One.  As He has wisdom, so He has strength, to go through with His undertaking:  He is able to save to the utmost; and such is the work of the Mediator that no less a power than that of the mighty God could accomplish it.[Matthew Henry]

The Father:  A primitive word; father in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application.[S] 

everlasting:  From H5710; properly a (peremptory) terminus, that is, (by implication) duration, in the sense of perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or without a preposition).[S]  Eternity, when God is the subject in question, always denotes a real eternity.[C]  Lasting or enduring for ever; eternal; existing or continuing without end; immortal.[W]

The everlasting Father:  Literally, father of eternity.[WW]  Literally means Father of Eternity.  He alone is the source of eternal life.[ASB]  “Father forever.”[TW]  The Author of eternity, and by Whom the Church and every member of it will be preserved forever, and have immortal life.[GSB] The father of eternity; Who, though as man He was then unborn, yet was and is from everlasting to everlasting.[JW]  This marks Him as "Wonderful," that He is "a child," yet the "everlasting Father" (John 10:30, 14:9)—literally, “the Father of eternity”.  Earthly kings leave their people after a short reign; He will reign over and bless them [His people] for ever.[JFB]

The Prince of:   From H8323; a head person (of any rank or class).[S]

Peace:  From H7999; safe, that is, (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, that is, health, prosperity, peace.[S]

The Prince of [i.e., marks the source from which anything has its origin] Peace:  That is, the Prince Who gives peace.  Compare Romans 15:16.[B]  The Messiah.[WW]  The name is given to Christ, who is called “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  He is the only purchaser and procurer of peace between God and men (Isaiah 53:5) and of peace between men and men, between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:15) and He left peace as His legacy to His disciples (John 14:27).[C]  Messiah, “David’s greater son”, is specifically identified as the Prince of Peace (sar shalom—the One Who brings fulfillment and righteousness to the earth).[TW]  Genesis 49:10:  Shiloh, "The Tranquillizer".  Finally, Hosea 2:18. Even already He is "our peace" (Luke 2:14, Ephesians 2:14).[JFB]  Sar shalom, the Prince of prosperity, the Giver of all blessings.    Not only the Author of peace, and the Dispenser of peace, but also he that rules by peace, whose rule tends always to perfection, and produces prosperity.[Adam Clarke] As a King, He preserves the peace, commands peace, nay, He creates peace, in His kingdom.  He is our peace, and it is His peace that both keeps the hearts of His people and rules in them.  He is not only a peaceable prince, and his reign peaceable, but he is the author and giver of all good, all that peace which is the present and future bliss of His subjects.[Matthew Henry]

  9:7 Of the increase of⁴⁷⁶⁶ His government⁴⁹⁵¹ and peace⁷⁹⁶⁵ there shall be no³⁶⁹ end,⁷⁰⁹³ upon⁵⁹²¹ the throne of³⁶⁷⁸ David,¹⁷³² and upon⁵⁹²¹ His kingdom,⁴⁴⁶⁷ to order it, ³⁵⁵⁹ and to establish it⁵⁵⁸² with judgment⁴⁹⁴¹ and with justice⁶⁶⁶⁶ from henceforth^{4480, 6258} even for ever.^{5704, 5769} The zeal of⁷⁰⁶⁸ the LORD³⁰⁶⁸ of hosts⁶⁶³⁵ will perform⁶²¹³ this.²⁰⁶³

Of the increase of:  From H7235; properly increasing; as noun, greatness, or (adverbially) greatly.[S]  Enlargement.[WW]  In context it refers to the prosperity and overflowing success to accrue to Israel’s King.[WSD]  Augmentation; a growing larger; extension.[W]  Of the increase of His government—this   Prince has a government, for He has all power both in heaven and in earth: and his government increases, and is daily more and more extended, and will continue till all things are put under His feet.[Adam Clarke]

no:  As if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle.[S]

end:  Contracted from H7112; an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after.[S]  The conclusion or cessation of an action.[W]  The end signifies the extremity or utmost part of a thing.[C]

there shall be no end:  That is, of eternal duration.[ED]  Of . . . increase . . . no end—His princely rule shall perpetually increase and be unlimited (Daniel 2:44).[JFB]

upon the throne of:  From H3680; properly covered, that is, a throne (as canopied).[S]  Throne is also put for sovereign power and dignity, it being the symbol of royalty and regal authority.[C]  Which was promised to David, and to his seed for ever (1 Kings 8:25; Psalms 2:6, 132:11; Jeremiah 3:17, 18; Ezekiel 34:23-26, 37:16, 22; Luke 1:32, 33; Acts 2:30).

David:  From the same as H1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse.[S]  Beloved, dear.  The son of Jesse, the king of Judah and Israel, who was a great type of the Messiah, the King and spiritual Head of His Church.  It was taken for Christ Himself, Who was descended of the family of David, Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23, 37:24, 25.[C]

His Kingdom:  From H4427; dominion, that is, (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm).[S]  Sovereignty, or universal dominion.[C]

to order it:  A primitive root; properly to be erect (that is, stand perpendicular);. hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous).[S]  Establish.[TW]  To set upright, to adjust, direct; to set right or in good order.[WW]  Every act of government is regulated according to wisdom and goodness; is established so securely as not to be overthrown; and administered in judgment and justice, so as to manifest His wisdom, righteousness, goodness, and truth.[Adam Clarke]

and to establish it:  A primitive root; to support (mostly figuratively).[S]  Maintain.[TW]  To support, sustain; to support, uphold (of throne).[CW]

with judgment:  From H8199; properly a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (particularly) divine law, individual or collectively), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly justice, including a particular right, or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style.[S]  Justice, judgment; sentence, decision (of judgment).[CW]

and with justice:  From H6663; rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity).[S]  Righteousness, acting according to proper (God’s) standard, doing what is right, being in the right.[SS]  Righteousness (in government) of judge, ruler, king.[CW]  That perfection of the Divine nature, whereby God is most just, and most holy in Himself, and in all His dealings with His creatures, and observes the strictest rules of rectitude and equity.[C]  judgment . . . justice—It is not a kingdom of mere might, and triumph of force over enemies, but of righteousness (Isaiah 42:21; Psalm 45:6, 7), attainable only in and by Messiah.[JFB]

from henceforth:  For H4482; properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses.[H4480]  From H6256; at this time, whether adverbial, conjugational or expletive.[H6258][S]  From now on.[WSD]  From this time forward.[W]

even for ever:  Properly the same as H5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjugation; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with).[H5704]  From H5956; properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point; generally time out of mind (past or future), that is, (practically) eternity; frequentative adverbially (especially with prepositional prefix) always.[H5769].[S]  He shall reign henceforth even for ever; not only throughout all generations of time, but, even when the kingdom shall be delivered up to God even the Father, the glory both of the Redeemer and the redeemed shall continue eternally.[Matthew Henry]

The zeal of:  From H7065; jealousy or envy.[S]  Ardor of zeal (religious zeal), of God for His people.[CW]  This word describes God’s zeal, which will accomplish His purpose.[WSD]  On the other hand the divine action accomplished with “jealousy” may result in good and salvation.  Thus this arduous love effected the return (42:13).  The restoration of Israel does not, however, exhaust God’s gracious activities in behalf of His people.  He will effect their salvation (the restitution of a perfect relationship between Himself and His creatures), which they lost in father Adam, by a second Adam—Immanuel (9:7).[TW]  His singular love and care for His elect.[GSB]  This great work shall be brought to pass by almighty God, out of that fervent affection which He hath to His own glory, to the honour of His son, and to His people.[JW]  Passionate ardor in the pursuit of anything.[W]

the LORD:  From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.[S] 

hosts:  From H6633; a mass of persons (or figurative things), especially regularly organized for war (an army); by implication a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically hardship, worship).[S]

the lord of hosts:  As a title of God:  of Hosts (the heavenly armies), the Almighty, with a focus on great power to conquer or rule.[SS]  Jehovah Sabaioth, one of the Jehovah-titles.  Denotes the God of Israel as the Lord of all the hosts of heaven and earth.  This title especially characterizes this book.[B] Or rather Zabaoth, a Hebrew word, that signifies hosts or armies.  Jehovah Sabaoth, The Lord of Hosts, Romans 9:29; whose hosts all creatures are, whether the host of heaven, or the angels and ministers of the Lord; or the stars and planets, which are as an army ranged in battle-array, and performing the will of God; or the people of the Lord, both of the Old and New Testament, which is truly the army of the Lord, of which God is the General and Commander.[C]

will perform:  A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.[S]  To do; to execute; to accomplish.[W]

this:  Irregular feminine of H2089; this (often used adverbially).[S]  Denoting something that is present or near in place or time, or something just mentioned.[W]