| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to 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; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. | 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 have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. | 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 You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian. | 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 the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war 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 a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal 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. |
| 7The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. 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 sent a message against Jacob; it came against Israel. | 8The sovereign master decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel. |
| 9All the people-- Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria--will know it. They will say with pride and arrogance:" | 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, |
| 10The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, 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 Rezin's adversaries against him and stirred up his enemies. | 11Then the LORD provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies-- |
| 12Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have consumed Israel with open mouths. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. | 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. |
| 13The people did not turn 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 cut off Israel's head and tail, 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, the honored one; the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher. | 15The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. |
| 16The leaders of the 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 does not rejoice over Israel's young men and has no compassion on its fatherless and widows, for everyone is a godless evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. | 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 thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets so that they go up in a column 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. |
| 19The land is scorched by the wrath of the LORD of Hosts, and the people are like fuel for the fire. No one has compassion on 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 meat on the right, but they are still hungry; they have eaten on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one eats the flesh of his own arm. | 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 is with Ephraim, and Ephraim with Manasseh; together, both are against Judah. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. | 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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