Isa 9:4-5 | NETfull | STEP | For their oppressive yoke and the club that strikes their shoulders, the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat.

Isaiah 9:4-5

4 For their oppressive yoke
and the club that strikes their shoulders,
the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, ^{▼▼ Heb “for the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the scepter of the oppressor against him.” The singular pronouns are collective, referring to the people. The oppressed nation is compared to an ox weighed down by a heavy yoke and an animal that is prodded and beaten.}
you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat. ^{▼▼ This alludes to Gideon’s victory over Midian (Judg 7–8), when the Lord delivered Israel from an oppressive foreign invader.}
5 Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the earth ^{▼▼ Heb “Indeed every boot marching with shaking.” On the meaning of סְאוֹן (s^e’on, “boot”) and the related denominative verb, both of which occur only here, see HALOT 738 s.v. סְאוֹן.}
and every garment dragged through blood
is used as fuel for the fire.