Micah 4

1 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and unto it shall people flow.

Yahweh [says that] some day his temple will be on top of a mountain, and that mountain will be the most important [MET] one on the earth; it will be [as though it is] higher than all the hills, and huge groups of people from all over the world will come there [to worship].

2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us of his ways, and we may walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.

[People from] many nations will say [to each other], “Let’s go to the mountain where Yahweh is, to the temple where we can worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. There God will teach us how he wants us to conduct our lives, and we will do what he wants us to do.” Zion [Hill] is the place where he will teach [people]; and [people will go] out from Jerusalem [to tell others] his messages.

3 And he shall judge between many people, and decide for strong nations even afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall not learn any more war.

Yahweh will settle disputes between many people, and he will [also] settle disputes between powerful nations that are far away. Then people will hammer their swords to cause them to become plow blades, and [hammer] their spears to cause them to become pruning knives. [Armies of] nations will no [longer] fight against [armies of other] nations, and they will no longer train [men how to fight] in wars.

4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, with none to make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.

Everyone will sit [peacefully] under his own grapevines, and under his own fig trees; no one will cause them to be afraid. [That is what will surely happen] because the Commander of the armies of angels has said it.

5 [But] though all the people should walk every one in the name of his god, yet will we walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Many [HYP] [of the people of other] nations will worship [IDM] their own gods, but we will worship Yahweh our God always, forever.

6 On that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and her that is driven out will I gather, and her to whom I have done evil;

Yahweh says, “There will soon be a time when I will gather the people whom I have punished, who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries), all those whom [I have caused to] suffer much.

7 And I will make of her that halted a remnant, and of her that was cast off far away a strong nation: and the Lord will reign over them on mount Zion, from this time and unto eternity.

My people who did not die while they were exiled will become a strong nation [again]. Then [I], Yahweh, will be their king, and I will rule from Jerusalem forever.

8 And thou, O tower of flocks, the strong-hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall go, and shall come, the former dominion, the kingdom belonging to the daughter of Jerusalem.

As for you people of Jerusalem [MET], you who [guard all of my people] like [MET] [a shepherd guards his sheep] from a tower, you [who live on] Zion [Hill], will have great power again. You people who live in Jerusalem will again rule like you did previously.

9 Now why dost thou cry aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor lost? that pangs have seized on thee as on a woman in travail?

[So] why [RHQ] are you wailing now? Is it because you have no king? Have all your wise people died? You are groaning loudly like [SIM] a woman who is giving birth to a baby.

10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the town, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go as far as Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there will the Lord redeem thee from the grasp of thy enemies.

[Well], you people of Jerusalem should writhe and groan like [SIM] a woman who is having birth pains, because now you must leave this city, and [while you are traveling], you will set up tents in open fields [at night]; you will go to [live in] Babylon. [But while you are] there, [I], Yahweh, will rescue you; I will free you from the power/control [MTY] of your enemies.

11 And now many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look with pleasure on Zion.

Now [the armies of] many nations have gathered to attack you. They are saying, ‘Jerusalem must be destroyed! We want to see this city [when it becomes ruins]!’

12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, and they understand not his counsel: that he will [once] gather them as the sheaves into the threshing-floor.

But they do not know what [I], Yahweh, think, and they do not understand what I plan: I will gather them [and punish them] like [SIM] [farmers] thresh grain on the ground.

13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will render thy horn iron, and thy hoofs will I render copper, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will devote unto the Lord their ill-gotten gain, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

So, you people of Jerusalem, rise up and punish [MET] [the nations who oppose you]. I will cause you [to be very strong], [as if] [MET] you had horns made of iron, [as if] [MET] you had hoofs made of bronze; and you will crush many nations. And [then you will take] from your enemies the valuable things that they have taken [from other countries], and you will dedicate those things to [me, the one who is] the Lord of all [the people on] the earth.”