| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: | 1The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. In earlier times he humiliated the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali; but now he brings honor to the way of the sea, the region beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the nations. |
| 2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. | 2The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness. |
| 3You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder. | 3You have enlarged the nation; you give them great joy. They rejoice in your presence as harvesters rejoice; as warriors celebrate when they divide up the plunder. |
| 4For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. | 4For their oppressive yoke and the club that strikes their shoulders, the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, you have shattered, as in the day of Midian's defeat. |
| 5For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. | 5Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the earth and every garment dragged through blood is used as fuel for the fire. |
| 6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | 6For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
| 7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. | 7His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David's throne and over David's kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The LORD's intense devotion to his people will accomplish this. |
| 8The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel. | 8The sovereign master decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel. |
| 9All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say: | 9All the people were aware of it, the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria. Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said, |
| 10“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” | 10"The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." |
| 11The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together. | 11Then the LORD provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies-- |
| 12Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised. | 12Syria from the east, and the Philistines from the west, they gobbled up Israelite territory. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. |
| 13But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts. | 13The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the LORD who commands armies. |
| 14So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day. | 14So the LORD cut off Israel's head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day. |
| 15The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. | 15The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. |
| 16For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up. | 16The leaders of this nation were misleading people, and the people being led were destroyed. |
| 17Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised. | 17So the sovereign master was not pleased with their young men, he took no pity on their orphans and widows; for the whole nation was godless and did wicked things, every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. |
| 18For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke. | 18For evil burned like a fire, it consumed thorns and briers; it burned up the thickets of the forest, and they went up in smoke. |
| 19By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is scorched, and the people are fuel for the fire. No man even spares his brother. | 19Because of the anger of the LORD who commands armies, the land was scorched, and the people became fuel for the fire. People had no compassion on one another. |
| 20They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring. | 20They devoured on the right, but were still hungry, they ate on the left, but were not satisfied. People even ate the flesh of their own arm! |
| 21Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised. | 21Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh; together they fought against Judah. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. |
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