1 B ut 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.

But there shall be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will make it glorious, by the way of the Sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

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

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.

3 Y ou 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.

You have multiplied the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You like the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 F or 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.

For the yoke of burden, and the staff or rod for their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, You have broken as in the day of Midian.

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

For every warrior’s war boots and all his armor in the battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 F or 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.

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 T here 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

Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from the time forth, even forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

8 T he Lord sends word against Jacob, and it falls on Israel.

The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.

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

And all the people shall know it—even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria —who said in pride and stoutness of heart,

10 “ 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.”

The bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.

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

Therefore the Lord has stirred up the adversaries of Rezin against, and He will stir up their enemies and arm and join them together,

12 T he 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.

The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

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

Yet the people turn not to Him Who smote them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.

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

Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail — palm branch and rush in one day;

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

The elderly and honored man, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

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

For they who lead this people cause them to err, and they who are led by them are swallowed up (destroyed).

17 S o 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.

Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will He have compassion on their fatherless and widows, for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

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

For wickedness burns like a fire; it devours the briers and thorns, and it kindles in the thickets of the forest; they roll upward in a column of smoke.

19 T he 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.

Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is darkened and burned up, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no man spares his brother.

20 T hey 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.

They snatch in discord on the right hand, but are still hungry; and they devour and destroy on the left hand, but are not satisfied. Each devours and destroys his own flesh or his neighbor’s.

21 M anasseh 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.

Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; but together they are against Judah. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.