Isaiah 9:1
1 The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. In earlier times he humiliated the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali; but now he brings honor to the way of the sea, the region beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the nations. 2 (9:1) The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness. 3 You have enlarged the nation; you give them great joy. They rejoice in your presence as harvesters rejoice; as warriors celebrate when they divide up the plunder.
LXX Isaiah 9:1
1 Do this first; do it quickly, O country of Zaboulon, the land of Nephthalime, and the rest who inhabit the seashore and beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations, the parts of Judea. 2 O you people who walk in darkness, see a great light! O you who live in the country and in the shadow of death, light will shine on you! 3 Most of the people, whom you have brought back in your joy, will also rejoice before you like those who rejoice at the harvest and in the same way as those who divide plunder,
Notes and References
"... we can observe that the entire pericope (LXX Isaiah 9:1–7), which must be taken into account in our analysis of verses 6–7, occurs in a context of an announcement of judgment on “this people,” as well as an anticipation of future hopes for Israel. Also, this context goes beyond Isaiah 1–12. More closely, verses 6–7 are read within an oracle that is applied with greater concreteness (via the translator’s addition of “τὰ μέρη τῆς Ἰουδαίας” in Isaiah 9:1) to the Jews of “the districts of Judea” living in Palestine in the Hellenistic era. This is contrary to the Masoretic text’s reading that sees it in a context which, as Blenkinsopp rightly observes, “speaks of the destiny of the northern kingdom of Israel (Isaiah 8:23).” In verse 1, these Jews are described as “the people walking in darkness” (ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει) and “dwelling in [the] land and shadow of death” (οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου). Still in this verse, according to the translator, it is they that are summoned to see the redemptive light (ἴδετε φῶς μέγα) or expect it (φῶς λάμψει ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς). This message of their salvation is also observed in verses 4-5 where the translator sees the removal of their socio-economic oppression ..."
Ngunga, Abi T. Messianism in the Old Greek of Isaiah: An Intertextual Analysis (p. 88) Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2013