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.

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.

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 the shadow of death, Upon them a light has 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 its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of 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 You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, 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 sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of 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 unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will 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 peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. The Punishment of Samaria

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

The Lord sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on 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,

All the people will know— Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria— Who say in pride and arrogance 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 down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”

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 shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on,

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 shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

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

For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor 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 head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush 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 elder and honorable, he is the head; 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 the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are 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 have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; For everyone 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.

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 as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising 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 burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare 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.

And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.

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 shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.