2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.
3. You have made the nation numerous; you have not made the joy great. They rejoice in your presence as with joy at the harvest, as they rejoice when they divide plunder.
4. For you have shattered the yoke of its burden and the stick of its shoulder, the rod of its oppressor, on the day of Midian.
5. For every boot that marches and shakes the earth and garment rolled in blood will be for burning—fire fuel.
6. For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7. His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.
8. The Lord has sent out a word against Jacob, and it fell on Israel.
9. And all of the people knew it, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria in pride and arrogance of heart, saying,
10. “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stone. The sycamore-fig trees were felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11. So Yahweh strengthened the adversaries of Rezin against him, and he provoked his enemies—
12. Aram from the east and Philistines from the west— and they devoured Israel with the whole mouth. He has not turned away his anger in all of this, and his hand is still stretched out.