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.

Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops; they lay siege against us: with the rod they smite upon the cheek the judge of Israel.

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 thou, Beth-lechem Ephratah, the least [though] thou be among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from olden times, from most ancient days.

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.

Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then shall the remnant of his brethren return with the children 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.

And he shall stand forward and feed [Israel] through the strength of the Lord, through the excellency of the name of the Lord his God: and they shall abide [safely]; for now shall he be great even unto the ends of the earth.

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.

And in this [manner] shall there be peace: If Asshur should come into our land; and if he should tread in our palaces, then will we raise up against him seven shepherds, and eight anointed men.

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 shall lay waste the land of Asshur with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the gates of its [cities]: thus will he deliver us from Asshur, if he should come into our land, and if he should tread within 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.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people like dew from the Lord, like showers upon the herbs, that wait not for man, nor hope for the sons of man.

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.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many people, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep: who, if he break in, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, while none can deliver.

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

High shall thy hand be lifted up above thy adversaries, and all thy enemies shall be cut off.

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

And it shall come to pass on that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots;

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

And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and I will throw down all thy strongholds;

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

And I will cut off the arts of witchcraft out of thy hand; and soothsayers shalt thou have no more;

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.

And I will cut off thy graven images, and thy statues out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more prostrate thyself to the work of thy hands;

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

And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; and I will destroy thy enemies.

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

And I will in anger and in fury execute vengeance upon the nations, upon those that have not hearkened.