1 B ut there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, 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 who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

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 Y ou shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, 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 You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle 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 boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the 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 a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, 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 here will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. God’s Anger with Israel’s Arrogance

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 T he Lord sends a message against Jacob, And it falls on Israel.

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

9 A nd all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in 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 “ The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”

“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 raises against them adversaries from Rezin And spurs their enemies on,

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

12 T he Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west; And they devour Israel with gaping jaws. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

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 Y et the people do not turn back to Him who struck them, Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.

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

14 S o the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel, Both palm branch and bulrush in a single 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 head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood 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 those who guide this people are leading them astray; And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.

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 does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

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 like a fire; It consumes briars and thorns; It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame And they roll upward in a column 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 B y the fury of the Lord of hosts the land is burned up, And the people are like fuel for the fire; No man spares 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 T hey slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry, And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied; Each of them eats 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 devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, And together they are against Judah. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

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.