< Micah 4 >
1 In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it.
In the days to come the mountain of the Lord will be established, the house of our God on the top of the mountain, lifted above the hills. All the nations will flow to it,
2 And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
and many peoples will go and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mount, to the house of the God of Jacob, so that he may instruct us in his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion proceeds instruction and the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.
3 Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war.
He will arbitrate between many peoples, and render decisions for numerous nations, They will beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, they will learn war no more.
4 And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken.
They will live each under his vine, and under his fig tree, with none to terrify them. For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
Each nation trusts in the names of their gods, but we will worship the Lord our God forever.
6 “On that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the outcast, even those whom I have afflicted.
“On that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame. I will gather exiles I punished.
7 And I will make the lame into a remnant, and the outcast into a strong nation. Then the LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.
I will restore the lame as a remnant, the exiles into a great nation. The Lord will rule over them on Mount Zion from that time forever.”
8 And you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion— the former dominion will be restored to you; sovereignty will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”
But you, watchtower for the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you will return your former rule.
9 Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?
So why do you now cry aloud? Haven’t you any king? Or has your counselor perished, so you writhe in pain like a woman in labor?
10 Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies!
Writhe and scream, daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor! For now you must leave the city and camp in the open field. You will be taken to Babylon, but there will be rescued. There the Lord will save you from the hands of your foes.
11 But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”
But now many nations gather against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, we will gloat over Zion.”
12 But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD or understand His plan, for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord. They do not understand his plan, for he has gathered them like sheaves for the threshing floor.
13 Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
“Arise, thresh, daughter of Zion. I will make your horns iron, and your hoofs brass, so you might beat in pieces many peoples, and devote to the Lord their spoil, and their wealth to the ruler of all the earth.