| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land 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 who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. | 2The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness. |
| 3You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. | 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 the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as 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 every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult 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 to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall 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 of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do 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 word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel; | 8The sovereign master decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel. |
| 9and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart: | 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 build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.” | 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." |
| 11But the LORD raises the adversaries of Rezin against him, and stirs up his enemies. | 11Then the LORD provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies-- |
| 12The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. | 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, nor inquire of 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 from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day— | 14So the LORD cut off Israel's head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day. |
| 15the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; | 15The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. |
| 16for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them 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 their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. | 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; it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward 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. |
| 19Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is scorched, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no one spares another. | 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 slice meat on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours 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 devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they are against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. | 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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