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Epiphany Season · Third Sunday after the Epiphany · Year A

Isaiah 9:1-4

The People Who Walked in Darkness

January 25, 2026

The Nativity with the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, Duccio di Buoninsegna
The Nativity with the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308–1311National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The stable built into the rock with the mother laid out across the whole width of it, and on the two wings, standing outside the scene and holding their own words on scrolls, the prophets who foretold it.The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: Duccio put Isaiah beside the scene and let him hold the verse.Duccio di BuoninsegnaThe founder of Sienese painting, who kept the gold and the Byzantine patterns while letting real feeling into the faces.National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.Founded on Andrew Mellon's collection and his insistence that it carry no one's name, and free to the public by law.National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMatt. 4:12-23Mt 4:12-23
Epistle1 Cor. 1:10-181 Cor 1:10-18
Old TestamentIsa. 9:1-4Is 9:1-4
PsalterPs. 27:1, 4-9Ps 27:1, 4-9

Overview & Insights

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." (Isaiah 9:2)

Isaiah promises that the humiliated territory of Zebulun and Naphtali will see the end of oppression, comparing the coming joy to the joy of harvest or of dividing plunder after victory. Matthew later quotes this passage to describe Jesus settling in that same region.

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Commentary

Commentary on Isaiah 9:1-4Commentary on Is 9:1-4 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary's lectionary commentary on the light-in-darkness oracle.

Isaiah 9:1-4 CommentaryIs 9:1-4 Commentary CEP

A preaching-focused read on the political and historical background of the oracle.

Isaiah 9 CommentaryIs 9 Commentary Enduring Word

David Guzik's verse-by-verse notes on the whole chapter.

Isaiah 9 CommentaryIs 9 Commentary Precept Austin

A compiled verse-by-verse resource with cross-references on the light oracle.

Isaiah 9 - Gill's Exposition of the Whole BibleIs 9 - Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible StudyLight

John Gill's older exposition, read messianically.

Background & Word Study

Isaiah 9:1 InterlinearIs 9:1 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew text and parsing for the opening verse of the oracle.

Isaiah 9:1-4Is 9:1-4 Sefaria

The Hebrew text alongside translation for this Old Testament reading.

Book of Isaiah Summary (Part 1)Book of Is Summary (Part 1) BibleProject

An animated overview of Isaiah's first half, including this oracle's setting.

Isaiah 9 - Catena BibleIs 9 - Catena Bible Catena

Patristic commentary from the early church fathers on the chapter.

The Church Fathers

Isaiah 9Is 9 Catena

Verse-by-verse comment from the Fathers on Isaiah 9.

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