What Does Isaiah 9:12 Mean?

“The Syrians”

aram or syria, and its inhabitants; also the name of the son of shem, a grandson of nahor, and of an israelite

“before”

the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the east) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)

“and the Philistines”

a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth

“behind”

the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the west

“and they shall devour”

to eat (literally or figuratively)

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

“Israel”

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

“with open mouth”

the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

this (often used adverb)

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“is not turned away”

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

“For all this his anger”

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more

“but his hand”

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

“is stretched out still”

to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows)