1Yet there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish, as in the former time. He afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will glorify the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; they who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light has shined.

3You have multiplied the nation. You have increased their joy. They rejoice before You according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil,

4For You have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his taskmaster, as in the day of Midian;

5For every warrior's boot used in battle, and every garment rolled in blood shall be burning fuel for the fire.

6For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with righteousness from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

8The LORD sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.

9And all the people shall know, Ephraim and the people of Samaria, saying in pride and arrogance of heart,

10"The bricks have fallen down, but we will build with cut stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will use cedars instead."

11And the LORD shall set up the foes of Rezin against him, and spur on his enemies;

12The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west; and they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still,

13For the people do not turn to Him Who strikes them, nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.

14And the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

15The elder and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail,

16For the leaders of this people led them astray; and those who are led by them are swallowed up.

17Therefore the LORD shall not rejoice over their young men, nor shall He have mercy on their orphans and widows; for everyone is ungodly and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks foolishness. In all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still,

18For wickedness burns like the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall roll upwards like the lifting up of smoke.

19Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land scorched, and the people shall be as the fuel for the fire; no man shall spare his brother.

20And they shall snatch on the right hand and still be hungry; and they shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied. Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm;

21Manasseh on Ephraim; and Ephraim on Manasseh; and they together shall be against Judah. In all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.