Micah 4
1 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.
But in the last days it will come about that the mountain of Yahweh's house will be established over the other mountains. It will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
2 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.
Many nations will go and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For from Zion the law will go out, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
3 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.
He will judge among many peoples and will decide concerning numerous nations far away. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any longer.
4 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!
Instead, they will sit every person under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of Yahweh of hosts has spoken.
5 Even though all the other nations follow their gods, we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.
For all the peoples walk, each one, in the name of their god. But we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.
6 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.
“On that day”—this is Yahweh's declaration— “I will assemble the lame and gather the outcast, those whom I have afflicted.
7 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.
I will turn the lame into a remnant, and the ones driven away into a strong nation, and I, Yahweh, will reign over them on Mount Zion, now and forever.
8 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.
As for you, watchtower for the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion— to you it will come, your former dominion will be restored, the kingdom that belongs to the daughter of Jerusalem.
9 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?
Now, why do you shout so loudly? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor died? Is this why pain grips you like that of a woman in labor?
10 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.
Be in pain and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will you go out of the city, live in the field, and go to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Yahweh will rescue you from the hand of your enemies.
11 Right now many enemies are gathered against you, saying, “Let us attack and violate her, so we can look with gloating over Zion!”
Now many nations are assembled against you; they say, 'Let her be defiled; let our eyes gloat over Zion.'
12 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.
They do not know Yahweh's thoughts, neither do they understand his plans, for he has gathered them like bundles of grain prepared for the threshing floor.
13 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.
Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn to be iron, and I will make your hooves to be bronze. You will crush many peoples and you will devote their unjust wealth to Yahweh, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.”
