This verse creates a transition between the previous and current prophecy. In the Hebrew versions of Isaiah it is included as the last verse of the previous chapter rather than the first verse of chapter 9. (Brewster, Hoyt W., Jr. Isaiah Plain and Simple, p. 85 – 86.)
While it is clearly a transition, it is also somewhat of a problem, as there is a term that is variously translated. Ludlow provides the RSV version of the verse, and the following commentary:
"9:1 But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. (RSV)
In this verse Isaiah immediately sets up a contrast before former and latter times. The former time refers to his own age when the Assyrians were punishing the Israelites in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, two tribes located near the Sea of Galilee; the latter time is a future period when God will “be heavy” (from the Hebrew root, kaved) with the land. Translators differ as to the meaning of this term, saying variously that God will “make glorious,” “deal heavily” (NIV), or “grievously afflict” (KJV) the area. Besides the unsurety of what the Lord’s actions will be, the precise time of this manifestation is not presented, and, for unknown reasons, the land area to be affected in the latter time is larger than that which was anciently attacked by the Assyrians. Also, the “way of the sea” is not identified, although the Book of Mormon includes a clarifying modifier, calling it the “way of the Red Sea.” (2 Ne. 19:1.) (Ludlow, p. 152.)
The NIV and Gileadi follow the RSV in making the text an explicit contrast between former and latter times, where the KJV might be read as two separate afflictions of the same area. The contrast between darkness and light that will be the theme of the next verse suggests that the better reading for the first verse would also be a contrast, and therefore the former/latter reading would be the better of the two.
In such a context, the controversial translation would also fall to the “make glorious” because it better follows the contrast of former/latter, afflicted/glorious. Ludlow follows this same basic logic:
“Verse 1 of chapter 9 bridges chapters 8 and 9, and its position might help clarify its meaning. In fact, it is included as the last verse of chapter 8 in the Hebrew versions of Isaiah but is made the beginning verse of chapter 9 in most English translations. Chapter 8 ends with a gloomy note of trouble and darkness, while, beginning in verse 2, chapter 9 speaks of light and joy. Therefore, it seems likely that chapter 9 verse 1 includes both a former time of darkness and a latter time when the Lord’s ”heaviness" will provide blessings. (Ludlow, p. 152.)
Isaiah takes the theme of the darkness at the end of chapter 18 and transforms it into not simply a future physical condition, but a spiritual one. His first step in that transformation is to shift the contextual dimness from the Assyrian invasion to something else. The transition hinges on the location of Zebulun and Naphtali because they were among the hardest hit in the Assyrian invasion. Their historical “darkness” may now be contrasted with a future state. The darkness/light transition is therefore hinged on a past/future transition effected in this first verse.
Redaction analysis: The timing of this revelation appears to be later than the previous one. With the mention of the destruction in Zebulun and Naphtali that is noted in the past tense, it would appear that this section of Isaiah is written after the Assyrian destruction of Israel.
While the text would place the writing of the prophecy in a later time frame (because the invasion was the subject of prophecy in the previous, and is now accomplished) it is also important to understand that the beginning of this revelation depends on the previous text.
The closing verse of chapter 18 has the people in darkness, and the literary theme of the beginning of this section begins in darkness. Not only does it begin in darkness, but it opens with a “nevertheless” which links the two sections.
The darkness of this chapter is specifically in contrast to that at the end of chapter 18. Looking at the timeframes and the literary connections, it is certain that while one would suppose the original prophecies to have been given and written separately, the form in which they currently exist was created after the fact. Thus, while Isaiah would have given the prophecies before the event, there is clearly some poetic re-writing of the prophecies once they have become a body of work rather than individual pieces.
This literary and textual continuation between chapters 18 and 19 (chapters 8 and 9 of Isaiah) is best illustrated in the textual divisions of the 1830 text of the Book of Mormon, which has no such division between these sections.