Micah 5

1 Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

Gather your troops together, Jerusalem! An enemy is besieging us. They will strike Israel's leader on the cheek with a rod.

2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

But from you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, (though you are only a small place in Judah), will come a ruler of Israel to do my will. His existence is from the ages of eternity past.

3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel.

So the Lord will give up on them until the woman in labor has given birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.

He will stand up and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. They will live in safety because his greatness is recognized all over the world.

5 And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

He will be our source of peace when the Assyrians invade our land and destroy our fortresses. Then we will appoint many strong leaders,

6 And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders.

and they will rule Assyria with their swords, the land of Nimrod with drawn swords. He shall rescue us from the Assyrians when they invade our land, marching across our borders.

7 Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.

Then those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be in the center of many nations, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which wait for no one, and which no one can delay.

8 Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.

Those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be among many nations, in the center of many peoples. They will be like a lion among the wild animals of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, clawing and tearing as it passes through, with no one to come to the rescue.

9 Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.

Lift your hand in triumph against your enemies; all of them will be destroyed.

10 “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots.

On that day, says the Lord, I will kill your horses and break your chariots.

11 I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.

I will tear down your city walls and demolish your fortresses.

12 I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.

I will stop the witchcraft you practice; there will be no more fortune-tellers for you.

13 I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.

I will smash down the idols and stone pillars that stand among you: you shall not bow down and worship idols that you make with your own hands any more.

14 I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.

I will pull up the Asherah poles that you have and destroy your pagan places.

15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed Me.”

In anger and fury I will execute vengeance on those nations that do not obey me.