Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Isaiah speaks to the house of David in the wake of military devastation (v. 5), announcing a coming ruler whose birth will reverse that violence.

The words — יֶלֶד (yeled) and בֵּן (ben) are paired deliberately: yeled is the younger, more vulnerable word for "child," while ben carries legal and royal weight as "son." The text holds both together — the infant and the heir.

The thread — Luke 2:11 places the birth in the city of David; Matthew 28:18 records the same dominion (mishrah) now declared as all authority in heaven and earth; Jeremiah 23:5 anticipates a righteous Branch from David who will reign.

Why it lands — The verse asks the reader to hold a newborn and a sovereign in the same figure without resolving the tension. It offers no comfort beyond the claim itself: the one born is the one who rules.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּי־ki-for יֶ֣לֶדYe.leda child יֻלַּד־yu.lad-he will be bornלָ֗נוּLa./nuto/ usבֵּ֚ןbena son נִתַּן־ni.tan-he will be givenלָ֔נוּLa./nuto/ usוַתְּהִ֥יva./te.Hiand/ it was הַמִּשְׂרָ֖הha./mis.Rahthe/ dominion עַל־'al-on שִׁכְמ֑וֹshikh.M/oshoulder/ his וַיִּקְרָ֨אva/i.yik.Ra'and/ someone called שְׁמ֜וֹshe.M/oname/ his פֶּ֠לֶאPe.le'a wonder יוֹעֵץ֙yo.'Etza counselor אֵ֣ל'elGod גִּבּ֔וֹרgi.Bormighty אֲבִיעַ֖ד'a.vi./'Adfather of/ perpetuity שַׂר־sar-prince of שָׁלֽוֹם׃sha.Lompeace

King James Version

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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Cross-references

Luke 2:11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Revelation 19:16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 Timothy 3:16 By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.