1 ¶ Nevertheless this darkness shall not be the same as the affliction that came upon her when they lightly touched the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, nor afterward when they more grievously afflicted her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.

But there will be no more heavy hearts for those who were suffering. In the past God allowed the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali to be put to shame. In the future He will honor Galilee where those who are not Jews live and where the road to the sea is. It is on the other side of the Jordan.

2 T he people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; those that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. The light will shine on those living in the land of dark shadows.

3 A s thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee as they rejoice in the harvest and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

You will make the nation great. You will give them great joy. They will be glad before You, as with the joy of gathering time, and as men have joy when they divide the riches taken after a battle.

4 F or thou hast broken his heavy yoke and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For You will break the heavy load from their neck and shoulders. You will break the power of those who made it hard for them, as at the battle of Midian.

5 F or every battle of him who fights is with shaking of the earth and the rolling of garments in blood; but this shall be with burning and consuming of fire.

For every shoe of the soldiers in the battle, and every coat rolled in blood, will be burned in the fire.

6 F or unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government is placed upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called The Wonderful One, The Counsellor, The God, The Mighty One, The Eternal Father, The Prince of Peace.

For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.

7 T he multitude of his dominion and the peace shall have no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom, ordering it and confirming it in judgment and in righteousness from now on even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of the hosts will perform this.

There will be no end to His rule and His peace, upon the throne of David and over his nation. He will build it to last and keep it strong with what is right and fair and good from that time and forever. The work of the Lord of All will do this. Punishment against Israel

8 ¶ The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.

The Lord sends word against Jacob, and it falls on Israel.

9 A nd all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and arrogance of heart,

And all the people will know it, that is, Ephraim and the people of Samaria. They say with a proud spirit in their hearts,

10 T he bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the wild fig trees are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.

“The clay blocks have fallen down, but we will build again with smooth stones. The sycamore trees have been cut down, but we will put cedar trees in their place.”

11 T herefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him and join his enemies together,

So the Lord brings men from Rezin to fight against them. He makes those who hate them move to action.

12 t he Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west swallow Israel with an open mouth. Even with this, the Lord’s anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.

13 B ut the people did not turn unto him that smote them, neither did they seek the LORD of the hosts.

Yet the people do not return to Him Who punished them. They do not look to the Lord of All.

14 T herefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

So the Lord will cut off the head and tail from Israel, both palm branch and river-grass in one day.

15 T he ancient and venerable to look upon is the head; the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail.

The leaders and men of honor are the head, and the tail is the false preachers who teach lies.

16 F or the governors of this people are deceivers, and those who are governed by them are lost.

For those who lead these people are leading them from the right way, and those who are led by them are going the wrong way.

17 T herefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless and widows, for every one is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

So the Lord is not pleased with their young men. He does not have pity on their children who have no parents or on their women whose husbands have died. Every one of them is without God and does sinful things. Every mouth speaks foolish words. Even with all this, His anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.

18 F or wickedness burns as the fire, it shall devour the briers and thorns and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

For sin burns like a fire. It burns thistles and thorns. It sets the woods on fire, and they go up in smoke.

19 T hrough the wrath of the LORD of the hosts the land is darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall spare his brother.

The land is burned up by the anger of the Lord, and the people are like wood for the fire. No man shows pity on his brother.

20 A nd he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry, and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat each man the flesh of his own arm:

They take what is on the right hand but still are hungry. They eat what is in the left hand but are not filled. Each of them eats the flesh of his own children.

21 M anasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Manasseh goes against Ephraim, and Ephraim goes against Manasseh. And together they are against Judah. Even with all this, the Lord’s anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.