| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Nevertheless, 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: | 1Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations. |
| 2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. | 2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. |
| 3You 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. | 3You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. |
| 4For 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. | 4For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian. |
| 5For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. | 5For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. |
| 6For 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. | 6For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. |
| 7Of 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. | 7The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. |
| 8The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel. | 8The Lord sent a message against Jacob; it came against Israel. |
| 9All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say: | 9All the people-- Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria--will know it. They will say with pride and arrogance:" |
| 10“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” | 10The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." |
| 11The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together. | 11The LORD has raised up Rezin's adversaries against him and stirred up his enemies. |
| 12Aram 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. | 12Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have consumed Israel with open mouths. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. |
| 13But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts. | 13The people did not turn to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts. |
| 14So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day. | 14So the LORD cut off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day. |
| 15The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. | 15The head is the elder, the honored one; the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher. |
| 16For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up. | 16The leaders of the people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up. |
| 17Therefore 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. | 17Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over Israel's young men and has no compassion on its fatherless and widows, for everyone is a godless evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. |
| 18For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke. | 18For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets so that they go up in a column of smoke. |
| 19By 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. | 19The land is scorched by the wrath of the LORD of Hosts, and the people are like fuel for the fire. No one has compassion on his brother. |
| 20They 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. | 20They carve meat on the right, but they are still hungry; they have eaten on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one eats the flesh of his own arm. |
| 21Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised. | 21Manasseh is with Ephraim, and Ephraim with Manasseh; together, both are against Judah. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike. |
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