The promise of the future king

9 However, those in Judah who have been distressed/worried will not continue to suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled the people in the land where the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali live. But in the future he will honor the people who live in that Galilee region, along the road between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, where many foreigners live.

2 Some day, it will be as though [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light.

A great light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.

3 Yahweh, you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice;

we will become very happy.

We will rejoice about what you have done

like [SIM] people rejoice when they harvest their crops,

or like soldiers rejoice

when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in a battle.

4 You will cause us to no longer be slaves [MET] of those who captured us;

you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders.

It will be as though you will break the rods of those who oppressed us,

like you did when you destroyed the army of the Midian people-group.

5 The boots that the enemy soldiers have worn

and their clothing which has stains of blood on them

will all be burned up;

they will only be fuel for a big fire.

6 Another reason that we will rejoice is that a special child will be born for us;

a woman will give birth to a son,

who will be our ruler.

And his names will be ‘Wonderful Counselor’, ‘Mighty/Powerful God’, ‘Our Everlasting Father’, and ‘Prince/Ruler who enables us to have Peace’.

7 His rule, and the peace that he brings/causes, will never end.

He will rule [MTY] fairly and justly [DOU],

like his ancestor King David did.

This will happen because the Commander of the armies of angels greatly desires that it happen.