The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

You have multiplied the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as on the day of Midian’s defeat.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, fuel for the fire.

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

For 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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall upon Israel.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

All the people will know it—Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—who say with pride and arrogance of heart:

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.

And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,

But the LORD has strengthened Rezin’s adversaries against them and has stirred up their enemies.

The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away; his hand is still upraised.

Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty.

The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.

For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

The elders and dignitaries are the head; the prophets who teach lies are the tail.

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

Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.

The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Therefore, the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, nor will he have compassion on their orphans and widows, for everyone is ungodly and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still stretched out.

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns. It sets the thickets of the forest ablaze, and they roll upward in columns of smoke.

Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

By the wrath of the LORD Almighty, the land is scorched, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no one spares his brother.

For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

They carve meat on the right, but they are still hungry; they devour on the left, but they are not satisfied. Each eats the flesh of his own arm.

Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still stretched out.

And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: