1 A s the former time made light The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, So the latter hath honoured the way of the sea, Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

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 are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light hath shone upon 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 T hou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast made great its joy, They have joyed before Thee as the joy in harvest, As rejoice in their apportioning 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 B ecause the yoke of its burden, And the staff of its shoulder, the rod of its exactor, Thou hast broken as 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 a warrior with rushing, and raiment rolled in blood, And it hath been for burning -- fuel 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 a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, 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 o the increase of the princely power, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on his kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, Henceforth, even unto the age, The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts doth 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 A word hath the Lord sent into Jacob, And it hath fallen in Israel.

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

9 A nd the people have known -- all of it, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, In pride and in greatness of heart, saying,

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 ` Bricks have fallen, and hewn work we build, Sycamores have been cut down, and cedars we renew.'

“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 A nd Jehovah setteth the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And his enemies he joineth together,

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

12 A ram from before, and Philistia from behind, And they devour Israel with the whole mouth. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is 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 A nd the people hath not turned back unto Him who is smiting it, And Jehovah of Hosts they have not sought.

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

14 A nd Jehovah cutteth off from Israel head and tail, Branch and reed -- the same day,

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

15 E lder, and accepted of face, he the head, Prophet, teacher of falsehood, he the tail.

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

16 A nd the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogised ones are consumed.

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, over its young men the Lord rejoiceth not, And its orphans, and its widows He pitieth not, For every one profane, and an evil doer, And every mouth is speaking folly. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is 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 burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation 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 I n the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts Hath the land been consumed, And the people is as fuel of fire; A man on his brother hath no pity,

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 cutteth down on the right, and hath been hungry, And he devoureth on the left, And they have not been satisfied, Each the flesh of his own arm they devour.

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, Together they against Judah, With all this not turned back hath His anger. And still His hand is 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.