Isa 9:1
9:1 Nevertheless {a} the dimness [shall] not [be] such as [was]
    in her distress, {b} when at the first he lightly afflicted
    the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward
    did more grievously afflict [her by] the way of the sea,
    beyond Jordan, in Galilee of {c} the nations.

    (a) He comforts the Church again after these great
        threatenings promising to restore them to great glory in
        Messiah.
    (b) With which Israel was punished, first by
        Tiglath-pilesar, which was a light scourge in respect to
        that which they suffered afterward by Shalmaneser, who
        carried the Israelites away captive.
    (c) While the Jews and Gentiles dwelt together by reason of
        those twenty cites, which Solomon gave to Hiram.

Isa 9:2
9:2 The people that {d} walked in darkness have seen a great {e}
    light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,
    upon them hath the {f} light shined.

    (d) Which were in captivity in Babylon and the prophets
        speaks of that thing which would come to pass 60 years
        later as though it were now done.
    (e) Meaning, the comfort of their deliverance.
    (f) This captivity and deliverance were figures of our
        captivity by sin and of our deliverance by Christ
        through the preaching of the Gospel, Mt 4:15,16.

Isa 9:3
9:3 Thou hast {g} multiplied the nation, [and] increased the
    joy: they rejoice before thee according to the joy in
    harvest, [and] as [men] rejoice when they divide the spoil.

    (g) Their number was greater when they went into captivity
        then when they returned but their joy was greater at
        their return, Hag 2:9.

Isa 9:4
9:4 For thou hast broken the {h} yoke of his burden, and the
    staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the
    day of Midian.

    (h) You gave them perfect joy by delivering them, and by
        destroying the tyrants, that had kept them in cruel
        bondage, as you delivered them by Gideon from the
        Midianites, Jud 7:21.

Isa 9:5
9:5 For every battle of the warrior [is] with confused noise,
    and garments rolled in blood; but [this] shall be {i} with
    burning [and] fuel of fire.

    (i) He speaks of the deliverance of his Church, which he has
        delivered miraculously from his enemies, but especially
        by the coming of Christ of whom he prophecies in the
        next verse.

Isa 9:6
9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the
    government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
    called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
    everlasting {k} Father, The Prince of Peace.

    (k) The author of eternity, and by whom the Church and every
        member of it will be preserved forever, and have immortal
        life.

Isa 9:7
9:7 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. {l} The zeal of the
    LORD of hosts will perform this.

    (l) His singular love and care for his elect.

Isa 9:8
9:8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon
    {m} Israel.

    (m) This is another prophecy against them of Samaria who
        were mockers and contemners of God's promises and
        menaces.

Isa 9:10
9:10 The {n} bricks have fallen down, but we will build with
     hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change
     [them into] cedars.

     (n) We were but weak, when the enemy overcame us, but we
         will make ourselves so strong, that we will neither
         care for our enemies, nor fear God's threatenings.

Isa 9:11
9:11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of {o}
     Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

     (o) Rezin king of Syria, who was in league with Israel, was
         slain by the Assyrians, after whose death, Aram that is,
         the Syrians were against Israel, who on the other side
         were assailed by the Philistines.

Isa 9:18
9:18 For wickedness {p} burneth as the fire: it shall devour the
     briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the
     forest, and they shall mount up [like] the rising of smoke.

     (b) Wickedness as a bellows kindles the fire of God's wrath
         which consumes all his obstinate enemies.

Isa 9:19
9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land
     darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire:
     no man shall {q} spare his brother.

     (q) Though there was no foreign enemy, yet they will
         destroy one another.

Isa 9:20
9:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and
     he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be
     satisfied: they shall eat every man the {r} flesh of his
     own arm:

     (r) Their greediness will be insatiable, so that one
         brother will eat up another, as though he should eat
         his own flesh.