Micah 4
1 But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and peoples shall flow to it.
In the last days, the mountain where the Lord's Temple stands will be recognized as the highest of all mountains, rising above other hills. Crowds of people from many places will travel to it.
2 And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
Many nations will come and say, “Let's go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob. There God will teach us his ways and we will follow his directions.” God's teachings will spread out from Zion, his word from Jerusalem.
3 And he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more.
The Lord will decide the cases of the nations, he will settle arguments between distant powerful nations. They will hammer their swords and turn them into plough blades, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not fight against each other anymore; they will no longer learn methods of warfare.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid. For the mouth of Jehovah of hosts has spoken it.
Everyone will be able to sit under their own vine and their own fig tree, for there will be no one to make them afraid. I the Lord Almighty has spoken!
5 For all the peoples walk each one in the name of his god. And we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever.
Even though all the other nations follow their gods, we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.
6 In that day, says Jehovah, I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted.
On that day, declares the Lord, I will gather those who are lame, I will bring together those who have been scattered in exile, those whom I punished.
7 And I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation. And Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even forever.
I will make those who remain, crippled and driven far away, into a strong nation, and the Lord will rule them from Mount Zion forever and ever.
8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to thee it shall come. Yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
And as for you, Jerusalem, watchtower of the flock, your former royal rule and power will be returned to you: the kingdom will be given back to Jerusalem.
9 Now why do thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee? Has thy counselor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?
So why are you screaming aloud? Don't you have a king? Has the king who advises you died so that pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?
10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail. For now thou shall go forth out of the city, and shall dwell in the field, and shall come even to Babylon. There thou shall be rescued. There Jehovah will redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
Thrash around in agony like a woman giving birth, people of Zion—for you will be expelled from the city, forced to camp out in the open, and exiled to Babylon. But the Lord will bring you back, and rescue you from the power of your enemies.
11 And now many nations are assembled against thee, who say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion.
Right now many enemies are gathered against you, saying, “Let us attack and violate her, so we can look with gloating over Zion!”
12 But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, nor do they understand his counsel, for he has gathered them as the sheaves to the threshing-floor.
But they don't know what the Lord is thinking, and don't understand what he is planning. He has brought them together like bundles of grain to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass, and thou shall beat many peoples in pieces. And I will devote their gain to Jehovah, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.
People of Zion, get up and start threshing, for I will make for you iron horns and bronze hooves so you can break many nations into pieces. You will present their stolen plunder to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
