Micah 5

1 Nowe assemble thy garisons, O daughter of garisons: he hath layed siege against vs: they shall smite the iudge of Israel with a rod vpon the cheeke.

“But now, [you people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together, ] [because even though] you have a wall [around your city to protect it], [enemy soldiers] are surrounding the city. And [soon] they will strike your leader on his face, with a rod.”

2 And thou Beth-leem Ephrathah art litle to bee among the thousandes of Iudah, yet out of thee shall he come forth vnto me, that shalbe the ruler in Israel: whose goings forth haue bene from the beginning and from euerlasting.

But you [people of] [APO] Bethlehem in Ephrathah [district need to know that] even though your [town] is a very small one among all the towns in Judah, someone who will rule Israel will be born in your town. [He will be] someone whose family has existed a very long time ago [DOU].

3 Therefore will he giue them vp, vntill the time that shee which shall beare, shall trauaile: then the remnant of their brethren shall returne vnto the children of Israel.

[But now] you people of Israel will be conquered by your enemies; [but it will be for only a short time], like [MET] [the short time that] women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow-countrymen who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries) will return to their own country.

4 And he shall stand, and feed in the strength of the Lord, and in the maiestie of the Name of the Lord his God, and they shall dwel still: for now shall he be magnified vnto the ends of the world.

And that man who will be ruling [there in Jerusalem] will stand and lead his people well, because Yahweh, his God, will cause him to be strong and greatly honored. Then the people whom he rules will live [in Jerusalem] safely; he will be greatly honored by people all over the earth, [so no one will dare to attack Jerusalem].

5 And hee shall be our peace when Asshur shall come into our lande: when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seuen shepheardes, and eight principall men.

And he will cause things to go well [for his people]. When [the army of] Assyria attacks our country and breaks though our fortresses, we will appoint (seven or eight/several) leaders [to lead our army] to fight against them.

6 And they shall destroy Asshur with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with their swordes: thus shall he deliuer vs from Asshur, when hee commeth into our lande, and when he shall tread within our borders.

With their swords [our army] will defeat the [army of] Assyria, [whose capital was founded by] Nimrod [long ago]. So our army will rescue us from the Assyrian [army] when they invade our country [DOU].

7 And the remnant of Iaakob shalbe among many people, as a dewe from the Lord, and as the showres vpon the grasse, that waiteth not for man, nor hopeth in the sonnes of Adam.

The (descendants of Jacob/Israelis) who survive will be [a blessing] to the people of other nations, like [SIM] dew and rain sent by Yahweh do good to the grass. The Israelis will not trust in humans [to help them]; instead, they will rely on Yahweh.

8 And the remnant of Iaakob shalbe among the Gentiles in the middes of many people, as the lyon among the beastes of the forest, and as the lyons whelpe among the flockes of sheepe, who when he goeth thorow, treadeth downe and teareth in pieces, and none can deliuer.

In the midst of [their enemies in] many people-groups [DOU], the descendants of Jacob who remain alive will be like [SIM] a lion among the [other] wild beasts of the forest, like [SIM] a young lion who goes among a flock of sheep and pounces [on one] and (mauls it/tears it to pieces), and no one will be able to rescue [that sheep].

9 Thine hand shall bee lift vp vpon thine aduersaries, and all thine enemies shalbe cut off.

You Israelis will defeat [MTY] all your enemies and completely destroy them.

10 And it shall come to passe in that day, sayth the Lord, that I will cut off thine horses out of the middes of thee, and I will destroy thy charets.

Yahweh says, “At that time, I will destroy [you Israeli people’s] horses [that your soldiers use in war] and your chariots.

11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and ouerthrowe all thy strong holdes.

I will tear down your city [walls] and destroy all your fortified cities.

12 And I will cut off thine enchanters out of thine hande: and thou shalt haue no more southsayers.

I will get rid of all those among you who practice magic and the (fortune-tellers/those who say that they can predict what will happen in the future).

13 Thine idoles also will I cut off, and thine images out of the middes of thee: and thou shalt no more worship the woorke of thine hands.

I will destroy [all] your idols and [sacred stone] pillars, and then you will no longer bow down [and worship] things that you yourselves [SYN] have made.

14 And I wil plucke vp thy groues out of the middes of thee: so will I destroy thine enemies.

I will get rid of your poles [that represent the goddess] Asherah, and [I will also] destroy all your idols.

15 And I will execute a vegeance in my wrath and indignation vpon the heathen, which they haue not heard.

And because I will be very angry, I will [also] punish [the people of] all the nations who have not obeyed [me].”