1 But|strong="H7200" there|strong="H3427" will|strong="H0776" be|strong="H0776" an|strong="H7200" end to|strong="H1980" the|strong="H5921" gloom|strong="H6757" those|strong="H5921" people|strong="H5971" suffered|strong="H7200". In|strong="H3427" the|strong="H5921" past, people|strong="H5971" thought the|strong="H5921" land|strong="H0776" of|strong="H0776" Zebulun and|strong="H1980" Naphtali was|strong="H0776" not|strong="H0776" important|strong="H1419". But|strong="H7200" later, that|strong="H7200" land|strong="H0776" will|strong="H0776" be|strong="H0776" honored—the|strong="H5921" land|strong="H0776" along|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" sea, the|strong="H5921" land|strong="H0776" east of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H5921" Jordan River|strong="H0776", and|strong="H1980" Galilee where|strong="H5921" people|strong="H5971" from|strong="H5921" other nations|strong="H5971" live|strong="H3427".
2 Those|strong="H0834" people|strong="H1471" lived in|strong="H8055" darkness, but|strong="H3808" they|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" see|strong="H0834" a|strong="H0834" great|strong="H1431" light. They|strong="H0834" lived in|strong="H8055" a|strong="H0834" place as|strong="H0834" dark as|strong="H0834" death, but|strong="H3808" a|strong="H0834" great|strong="H1431" light will|strong="H0834" shine on|strong="H6440" them|strong="H6440".
3 God, you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3117" make|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" nation grow, and|strong="H3117" you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3117" make|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" people happy. They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3117" rejoice in|strong="H3117" your|strong="H3588" presence as|strong="H3117" they|strong="H3588" do at|strong="H3117" harvest time|strong="H3117". It|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3117" be|strong="H3117" like the|strong="H0853" joy when|strong="H3588" people take their|strong="H3588" share of|strong="H3117" things they|strong="H3588" have|strong="H3117" won in|strong="H3117" war.
4 That|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" happen|strong="H1961" because|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" lift the|strong="H3605" heavy yoke off their|strong="H3605" shoulders and|strong="H1818" take|strong="H1961" away|strong="H1556" their|strong="H3605" heavy burden. You|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" take|strong="H1961" away|strong="H1556" the|strong="H3605" rod that|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" enemy used|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" punish your|strong="H3605" people|strong="H1818", as|strong="H1961" you|strong="H3588" did when|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" defeated Midian.
5 Every boot that|strong="H3588" marched in|strong="H5921" battle and|strong="H1121" every uniform stained with|strong="H5921" blood will|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" destroyed and|strong="H1121" thrown into|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" fire.
6 This|strong="H2063" will|strong="H3068" happen when|strong="H5704" the|strong="H0853" special child is|strong="H0369" born. God|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" give us|strong="H5921" a|strong="H5921" son who|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" responsible|strong="H6213" for|strong="H5921" leading the|strong="H0853" people. His|strong="H5921" name will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God|strong="H3068", Father Who|strong="H3068" Lives Forever|strong="H5769", Prince of|strong="H3068" Peace|strong="H7965".”
7 His|strong="H7971" power|strong="H3478" will|strong="H3478" continue to|strong="H3478" grow|strong="H7971", and|strong="H3478" there will|strong="H3478" be|strong="H1697" peace without end. This|strong="H1697" will|strong="H3478" establish him|strong="H7971" as|strong="H1697" the|strong="H1697" king sitting on|strong="H5307" David’s throne and|strong="H3478" ruling his|strong="H7971" kingdom. He|strong="H7971" will|strong="H3478" rule|strong="H1697" with|strong="H1697" goodness and|strong="H3478" justice forever and|strong="H3478" ever. The|strong="H1697" strong love that|strong="H1697" the|strong="H1697" LORD|strong="H0136" All-Powerful has|strong="H3478" for|strong="H7971" his|strong="H7971" people will|strong="H3478" make this|strong="H1697" happen|strong="H1697"!
8 The|strong="H3605" Lord gave|strong="H0559" a|strong="H3427" command|strong="H0559" against|strong="H3824" Jacob|strong="H0559" and|strong="H0669" someone in|strong="H3427" Israel|strong="H5971" fell.
9 So all the|strong="H1129" people in|strong="H5307" Ephraim, including the|strong="H1129" ruler in|strong="H5307" Samaria, learned their|strong="H5307" lesson.
10 “Yes, those|strong="H5921" bricks fell|strong="H5921", but|strong="H5921" we will|strong="H3068" rebuild with|strong="H3068" strong stone. Yes, those|strong="H5921" little trees were|strong="H5921" chopped down|strong="H5921", but|strong="H5921" we will|strong="H3068" plant new trees. And|strong="H3068" they|strong="H5921" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" large, strong trees.”
11 The|strong="H3605" LORD found people|strong="H3808" to|strong="H7725" go|strong="H7725" up|strong="H0853" and|strong="H3478" fight against|strong="H3027" Rezin. He|strong="H3808" stirred up|strong="H0853" Rezin’s enemies.
12 As|strong="H5704" for|strong="H6635" Israel|strong="H5971", the|strong="H0853" Arameans are|strong="H3068" in|strong="H3068" front of|strong="H3068" him|strong="H5221" and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" Philistines are|strong="H3068" behind him|strong="H5221". And|strong="H3068" they|strong="H3808" are|strong="H3068" both eating away|strong="H7725" at|strong="H3068" him|strong="H5221". But|strong="H3808" the|strong="H0853" Lord|strong="H3068" is|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" finished yet|strong="H3068". He|strong="H5704" is|strong="H3068" still|strong="H7725" angry, and|strong="H3068" his|strong="H3068" arm is|strong="H3068" raised to|strong="H5704" continue punishing|strong="H7725" Israel|strong="H5971".
13 The|strong="H3068" people did|strong="H3117" not stop sinning. They|strong="H3117" did|strong="H3117" not come to|strong="H3068" the|strong="H3068" LORD|strong="H3068" All-Powerful for|strong="H3117" help.
14 So|strong="H5375" the|strong="H6440" LORD cut off|strong="H5375" Israel’s head|strong="H7218" and|strong="H7218" tail|strong="H2180". He|strong="H1931" took|strong="H5375" away|strong="H5375" the|strong="H6440" branch and|strong="H7218" the|strong="H6440" stalk in|strong="H6440" one|strong="H1931" day.
15 (The|strong="H1961" head means the|strong="H1961" elders and|strong="H2088" important leaders. The|strong="H1961" tail means the|strong="H1961" prophets who|strong="H2088" told lies|strong="H1961".)
16 Their|strong="H3605" guides are|strong="H3027" leading them|strong="H0853" the|strong="H3605" wrong|strong="H7489" way|strong="H2063", so|strong="H3651" those|strong="H3605" who|strong="H3605" follow them|strong="H0853" will|strong="H3027" be|strong="H5750" destroyed.
17 All|strong="H0398" of|strong="H0398" them|strong="H0398" are evil|strong="H7564". So|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" Lord is|strong="H3588" not|strong="H3588" happy with|strong="H0398" the|strong="H3588" young men, and|strong="H0398" he|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0784" not|strong="H3588" show mercy to|strong="H0398" their|strong="H3588" widows and|strong="H0398" orphans. That|strong="H3588" is|strong="H3588" because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" are evil|strong="H7564" hypocrites. They|strong="H3588" tell lies.
18 That|strong="H3068" evil was|strong="H1961" like|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" small fire|strong="H0784" that|strong="H3068" started|strong="H1961" among|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0413" weeds and|strong="H3068" thorns and|strong="H3068" then|strong="H1961" spread to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0413" larger bushes in|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0413" forest. Finally, it|strong="H1961" became|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" giant fire|strong="H0784", and|strong="H3068" everything went|strong="H0413" up|strong="H1961" in|strong="H0413" smoke.
19 The|strong="H5921" LORD|strong="H3225" All-Powerful was|strong="H0376" angry, so|strong="H3808" the|strong="H5921" land was|strong="H0376" burned. The|strong="H5921" people|strong="H0376" were|strong="H0376" fuel for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" fire|strong="H0398". No|strong="H3808" one|strong="H0376" showed any|strong="H0376" compassion to|strong="H5921" anyone|strong="H0376" else|strong="H3808".
20 People|strong="H3808" looked to|strong="H7725" the|strong="H3605" right and|strong="H3063" grabbed whatever|strong="H3605" they|strong="H1992" could, but|strong="H3808" they|strong="H1992" were|strong="H1992" still|strong="H5750" hungry. They|strong="H1992" grabbed whatever|strong="H3605" was|strong="H3063" on|strong="H5921" their|strong="H3605" left|strong="H7725", but|strong="H3808" still|strong="H5750" they|strong="H1992" were|strong="H1992" not|strong="H3808" satisfied. So|strong="H3808" they|strong="H1992" turned|strong="H7725" on|strong="H5921" themselves|strong="H1992" and|strong="H3063" began to|strong="H7725" eat the|strong="H3605" bodies of|strong="H3027" their|strong="H3605" own children.
21 Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim fought against Manasseh. Then both of them turned on Judah.