Isaiah 9:1

Zebulun and Naphtali were two of the 12 *tribes of Israel. The territory of Zebulun was west of the Sea of Galilee (see Joshua 19:10-16). The territory of Naphtali was north of Zebulun (see Joshua 19:32-39). These two areas were the first to fall when the *Assyrian army attacked. A vast number of the inhabitants became prisoners in Assyria.

• The ‘foreigners along the coast’ refers to the former Zebulun. The country ‘across the river Jordan’ refers to the former Naphtali. The region north of Naphtali became international Galilee. In the very area where the *Assyrians first attacked, God promises to cause a complete change of the situation. The inhabitants will have done nothing to deserve this change. It is God’s free gift.