The chat will start when you send the first message.
1But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.[#Mt 4.15.; #9.1 One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.]
2Those who walked in the dark[#Mt 4.16; Lk 1.79.]
have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3Our Lord , you have made
your nation stronger.
Because of you, its people
are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
what they have taken.
4You have broken the power
of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
from Midian.
5The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
have been fed to flames
and eaten by fire.
6A child has been born for us.
We have been given a son
who will be our ruler.
His names will be
Wonderful Advisor
and Mighty God,
Eternal Father
and Prince of Peace.
7His power will never end;[#Lk 1.32,33.]
peace will last forever.
He will rule David's kingdom
and make it grow strong.
He will always rule
with honesty and justice.
The Lord All-Powerful
will make certain
that all of this is done.
8The Lord had warned the people of Israel,
9and all of them knew it, including everyone in the capital city of Samaria. But they were proud and stubborn and said,
10“Houses of brick and sycamore
have fallen to the ground,
but we will build houses
with stones and cedar.”
11The Lord made their enemies attack them.[#9.11 Hebrew “the enemies of Rezin.”]
12He sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel. But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them.[#9.12 Or “but he hasn't given up on them yet.”]
13The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.
14In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches.
15Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail.
16They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused.
17The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him. They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.[#9.17 Or “but even though they had turned against him, he still had not given up on them.”]
18Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke.
19The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other
20like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives. But still they were not satisfied.[#9.20 One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.]
21The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other, then joined forces to attack Judah. But the Lord was still angry and ready to punish the nation even more.