The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
Parallel translations
- WEB The 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.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
- NASB The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
- NLT The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
People living in spiritual darkness and death's shadow have seen a great light, the coming of Christ.
Overview
This shining light is the salvation God brings, ultimately the Messiah himself. Matthew applies it to Jesus, whose ministry in Galilee fulfilled the promise of light to those in darkness (Matthew 4:16). Jesus later declared, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), the very light Isaiah foresaw.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Matt 4:16the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
- Eph 5:8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- John 8:12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- John 12:46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- Luke 1:78–79because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Jn 1:5–7And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- Isa 60:1–3Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
- Isa 60:19No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.
- Eph 5:13–14But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself.
- Ps 107:14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.
- Ps 23:4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Ps 107:10Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
- Isa 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
- John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- Mic 7:8–9Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Isa 9:1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
- Amos 5:8He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—
- Job 10:21before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 9:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.