1 ARST However, those in Judah who were distressed will not continue to suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled the people in the land where the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali live. But in the future he will honor the people who live in the region of Galilee, along the road between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, where many foreigners live. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
2 ARST Some day in the future, it will be as though the people who walked in darkness have seen a bright light. Yes, a bright light will shine on those who live in a land where they now have great troubles. BSB BSB: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
3 ARST Yahweh, you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice; we will become very happy. We will rejoice about what you have done like people rejoice when they harvest their crops, or like soldiers rejoice when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in battle. BSB BSB: You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.
4 ARST You will cause us to no longer be slaves of those who captured us; you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders. It will be as though you have broken the weapons of those who oppressed us, like you did when you destroyed the army of the Midian people group. BSB BSB: For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
5 ARST The boots that the enemy soldiers wore and their clothing which has stains of blood on them will all be burned up; they will be fuel for a big fire. BSB BSB: For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 ARST Another reason that we will rejoice is that a special child will be born for us, a woman will give birth to a son, and he will be our ruler. And his names will be‘Wonderful Counselor,’‘Mighty God,’‘Our Everlasting Father,’ and‘King who causes us to have Peace.’ BSB BSB: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 ARST His rule and the peace that he brings will never end. He will rule fairly and justly, like his ancestor King David did. This will happen because Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, greatly desires that it happen. BSB BSB: Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
8 ARST The Lord has warned the descendants of Jacob; he has said that he will punish Israel. BSB BSB: The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.
9 ARST And all the people in Samaria and other places in Israel will know that, but they are now very proud and arrogant. They said, “Our city has been destroyed, but we will take away the broken bricks from the ruins and replace them with carefully cut stones. Our sycamore fig trees have been cut down by our enemies, but we will plant cedar trees in their place.” BSB BSB: All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
11 ARST But Yahweh will bring the armies of Assyria, the enemies of King Rezin of Aram, to fight against Israel and incite other nations to attack Israel. BSB BSB: The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together.
12 ARST The army of Aram will come from the east, and the army of Philistia will come from the west, and they will destroy Israel like a wild animal tears another animal apart and devours it. But even after that happened, Yahweh will still be very angry with them. He will be ready to strike them with his fist again. BSB BSB: Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
13 ARST But even though Yahweh will punish his people like that, they still will not return to him and worship him. They still will not request Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, to assist them. BSB BSB: But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.
14 ARST Therefore, in one day Yahweh will get rid of those who are like Israel’ s head and those who are like its tail; the ones who are like the top of the palm tree and the ones who are like the bottom. BSB BSB: So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.
15 ARST The leaders of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell lies are the tail. BSB BSB: The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.
16 ARST The leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused. BSB BSB: For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.
17 ARST For that reason, Yahweh is not pleased with the young men of Israel, and he does not even act mercifully toward the widows and orphans, because they are all ungodly and wicked, and they all say things that are foolish. But Yahweh still is angry with them; he is ready to strike them with his fist again. BSB BSB: Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
18 ARST When people do wicked things, it is like a brush fire that spreads rapidly. It burns up not only briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise. BSB BSB: For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets, which roll upward in billows of smoke.
19 ARST It is as though the whole land is burned black because Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, is extremely angry with the Israelite people. They will become like fuel for that great fire, and no one will try to rescue even his own brother from that fire. BSB BSB: By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is scorched, and the people are fuel for the fire. No man even spares his brother.
20 ARST The Israelite people will attack their neighbors who live in houses at the right of them to get food, but they will still be hungry. They will kill and eat the flesh of those who live in houses at the left, but their stomachs will still not be full. BSB BSB: They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.
21 ARST Israelites of the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim will attack each other, and then they will both attack the people of Judah. But even after that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry with them; He will be ready to strike them with his fist again. BSB BSB: Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.