未来的君王

但那些受过痛苦的人必不再遇见黑暗。从前,耶和华使西布伦人和拿弗他利人住的地方受人藐视,日后必使这些地方,即约旦河对岸、沿海一带、外族人居住的加利利得到荣耀。

走在黑暗中的人必看见大光,
活在死亡阴影下的人必被光照亮。
耶和华啊,你必使以色列成为大国,
人民都喜气洋洋,
在你面前欢喜快乐,
好像丰收时那样欢喜,
如同瓜分战利品时那样快乐。
因为你必折断他们负的轭和欺压者的棍棒,
好像昔日你毁灭米甸人一样;
战士的靴子和染血的征袍都要被丢进火里烧掉。
必有一个婴儿为我们诞生,
有一个孩子要赐给我们,
祂必统治我们。
祂被称为奇妙的策士、全能的上帝、永存的父、和平的君。
祂的国必长治久安。
祂必坐在大卫的宝座上以公平和公义治国,
使国家永固。
万军之耶和华必热切地成就此事。

耶和华要审判以色列

主已发言责备雅各家,
他的责备落在以色列,
住在以法莲和撒玛利亚的以色列人都知道。
他们骄傲自大地说:
10 “砖墙倒塌了,
我们可以凿石重建;
桑树砍倒了,
我们可以再种香柏树。”
11 因此耶和华必驱使敌人来攻击他们。
12 东有亚兰人,西有非利士人,
他们必吞噬以色列。
虽然如此,耶和华的怒气还没有止息,
祂的惩罚还没有停止。

13 但以色列人没有归向万军之耶和华,
也不寻求祂。
14 因此,耶和华要在一日之间铲除以色列的头和尾。
15 头是指他们的长老和首领,
尾是指教人虚谎之事的假先知。
16 这些带领者使百姓步入歧途、
走向灭亡。
17 他们目无上帝,
行事邪恶,口出狂言。
所以,主不喜欢他们的青年,
也不怜悯他们的孤儿寡妇。
虽然如此,耶和华的怒气还没有止息,
祂降罚的手没有收回。
18 邪恶像燃烧的火焰,
焚毁荆棘和蒺藜,点燃密林,
烟柱旋转上腾。
19 万军之耶和华的烈怒必如火一般烧焦大地,
人们成为烧火的柴,
甚至弟兄彼此相煎。
20 他们到处抢夺食物,
仍饥饿难忍,
甚至吃自己的骨肉[a]
21 以法莲和玛拿西必自相残杀,
又联合起来攻打犹大。
虽然如此,耶和华的怒气还没有止息,
祂降罚的手没有收回。

Footnotes

  1. 9:20 骨肉”或译“臂膀的肉”。

(A) But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain.[a] 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.

War Is Over

(B) Those who walked in the dark
    have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
    of darkest shadows.
Our Lord, you have made
    your nation stronger.[b]
Because of you, its people
    are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
    what they have taken.

You have broken the power
of those who abused
    and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
    from Midian.[c]
The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
    have been fed to flames
    and eaten by fire.

A Child Has Been Born

A 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.
(C) His power will never end;
    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.

God Will Punish Israel

The Lord had warned the people of Israel, and 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.”

11 The Lord made their enemies[d] attack them. 12 He 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.[e] 13 The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.

14 In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches. 15 Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail. 16 They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. 17 The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him.[f] They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.

18 Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke. 19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other 20 like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives.[g] But still they were not satisfied. 21 The 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.

Footnotes

  1. 9.1 will … pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 9.3 stronger: Or “happy” or “larger.”
  3. 9.4 rescued … from Midian: The time when Gideon defeated the people of Midian in Jezreel Valley (see Judges 6–8).
  4. 9.11 their enemies: Hebrew “the enemies of Rezin.”
  5. 9.12 so … them: Or “but he hasn't given up on them yet.”
  6. 9.17 and kept … against him: Or “but even though they had turned against him, he still had not given up on them.”
  7. 9.20 their own relatives: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.