Micah 5

1 Now gather yourself together, O daughter of troops, He has laid a siege against us, They strike [the] judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.

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

2 “And you, Beth-Lehem Ephratah, Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From you He comes forth to Me—to be ruler in Israel, And His comings forth [are] of old, From the days of antiquity.”

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 He gives them up until the time she who brings forth has brought forth, And the remnant of His brothers return to the sons 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 And He has stood and delighted in the strength of YHWH, In the excellence of the Name of His God YHWH, And they have remained, For now He is great 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 this [One] has been peace. Asshur, when he comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, We have raised against him seven shepherds, And eight anointed of man.

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 have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword, And the land of Nimrod at its openings, And He has delivered from Asshur when he comes into our land, And when he treads in 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 And the remnant of Jacob has been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from YHWH—as showers on the herb, That does not wait for man, nor stays for the sons of men.

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 Indeed, the remnant of Jacob has been among nations, In the midst of many peoples, As a lion among beasts of a forest, As a young lion among ranks of a flock, Which if it has passed through, Has both trodden down and has torn, And there is no deliverer.

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 High is your hand above your adversaries, And all your enemies are cut off.

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

10 “And it has come to pass in that day,” A declaration of YHWH, “I have cut off your horses from your midst, And I have destroyed your chariots,

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

11 And I have cut off the cities of your land, And I have thrown down all your fortresses,

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

12 And have cut off sorcerers out of your hand, And observers of clouds—you have none.

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

13 And I have cut off your carved images, And your standing-pillars out of your midst, And you do not bow yourself anymore To the work of your 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 And I have plucked up your Asherim out of your midst, And I have destroyed your enemies.

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

15 And I have done vengeance in anger and in fury, With the nations who have not listened!”

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