Unto Us a Child Is Born
(Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 4:14–15)

1But there is no gloom for the one who is in distress herself. In an earlier time He treated lightly the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2The people who are walking in the darkness

have seen a great light;

for those sitting in the land of the shadow of death,

a light has shone upon them.†

3You have multiplied the nation.

Have you not have increased the joy?

They rejoice before Your face

according to the joy of the harvest,

like those who rejoice in dividing the plunder.

4For the yoke of his burden,

and the staff of his shoulder—

the rod of one pressing on him—

You have broken as on the day of Midian.

5For every boot treading with quaking,

and the garment rolled in blood,

will be for burning, as fuel for fire.

6For a child has been born unto us,

a son has been given unto us,

and the government will be upon his shoulder.

And his name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7Of the increase of His government and peace

will be no end,

over the throne of David

and over his kingdom,

to establish it and sustain it

with justice and with righteousness

from now and even to forever.

The zeal of YHWH of Hosts will accomplish this.

Judgment against Israel’s Pride

8YHWH has sent a word against Jacob,

and it has fallen upon Israel;

9and the people will know all of it—

Ephraim† and the one dwelling in Samaria—

in pride arrogance of heart

they will say:

10“The bricks have fallen down,

and with hewn stone we will rebuild;

the sycamores are cut down,

and with cedars we will replace them.”

11And YHWH raises up the adversaries of Rezin against him

and his enemies He joins together,

12Aram† from the east and Philistia from the west,

and they will devour Israel with a whole mouth.

In all this, His anger is not turned back

and still His hand is stretched out.

Judgment against Israel’s Hypocrisy

13And the people did not turn to the One striking it,

and YHWH of Hosts they did not seek.

14And YHWH will cut off from Israel the head and tail,

palm branch and reed, in a single day.

15The elder and the uplifted of face—he is the head;

and the prophet teaching lies—he is the tail.

16The guides for this people mislead them,

and those they mislead are being swallowed up.

17Upon thus YHWH does not rejoice in its young men,

and on its fatherless and widows He has no compassion,

for everyone is godless and an evildoer,

and every mouth speaks foolishness.

In all this His anger is not turned away

and still His hand is stretched out.

Judgment against Israel’s Unrepentance

18For wickedness burns as the fire,

and it will devour brier and thorn;

and it is kindled in the thickets of the forest,

and they mount up in a rising of smoke.

19By the wrath of YHWH of hosts

the land is scorched,

and the people are fuel for the fire;

a man has no pity upon his brother.

20And one cuts down on the right,

and is hungry,

and he eats on the left,

and they have not been satisfied;

each man devours the flesh of his own arm.†

21Manasseh Ephraim,

and Ephraim Manasseh—

together they are against Judah.

In all this His anger has not turned back,

and still His hand is stretched out.