Micah 5

1 Meanwhile, shalt thou gather together in troops, thou daughter of a troop, siege, hath he laid against us, —with a sceptre, will they smite on the cheek, the judge of Israel!

“Now cut yourself in bitter grief, daughter besieged by soldiers. They have set a wall around you. They strike the ruler of Israel, in the face with a rod.

2 Thou, therefore, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though, little, to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee, shall Mine come forth, to be ruler in Israel, —whose comings forth, have been from of old, from the days of age-past time.

“Bethlehem in Ephrathah, small among the tribes of Judah, from you will come a king who will rule for me over Israel, whose family line goes back to the distant past.”

3 Therefore, will he give them up, until the time when, one who is to bring forth, hath brought forth, —and, the remainder of his brethren, return unto the sons of Israel.

So the Lord will only abandon Israel to its enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then the survivors will be reunited with their own people.

4 Then shall he stand, and tend his flock in the strength of Yahweh, In the excellency of the name of Yahweh his God, have they endured, —For, now, shall he be great unto the ends of the earth;

And he will stand and shepherd by the strength of the Lord, In the exalted name of the Lord his God; And they will live in security, for now he will be great, even to the ends of the earth.

5 So shall this one be Prosperity. As for Assyria—when he shall enter our land, and when he shall tread down in our palaces, then will we raise up against him, seven shepherds, and eight princes of mankind.

This will be our peace: when Assyria comes into our land and treads on our soil, we will raise up against him seven shepherds, eight leaders of men.

6 Then shall they shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof, —So shall he deliver from Assyria, when he shall enter our land, and when he shall tread down within our bounds.

They will shepherd Assyria with a sword, and the land of Nimrod with bared blades. They will deliver us from Assyria, when they come into our land, and tread within our borders.

7 And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be, in the midst of many peoples, as dew from Yahweh, as myriad drops on plants, —which tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of Adam.

And the survivors of Jacob will be disbursed among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which don’t wait for people to come or linger for mortals.

8 And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the jungle, as a young lion among flocks of sheep, —who, if he passeth by, both treadeth down—and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

And the survivors of Jacob will be disbursed among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the sheep-folds, who, when he passes through, pounces. He savages his prey. There is no rescuer.

9 Let thy hand be uplifted against thine adversaries, —and, all thine enemies, shall be cut off.

Let your hand triumph over your adversaries, let all your enemies be cut off.

10 And it shall come to pass, in that day, Declareth Yahweh, That I will cut off thy horses out of thy midst, —and will destroy thy chariots;

On that day, says the Lord: “I will slaughter your horses from your midst, and destroy your chariots.

11 And will cut off the cities of thy land, —and will pull down all thy fortresses;

I will devastate the cities in your land, and tear down your fortresses.

12 And will cut off incantations, out of thy hand, —and, users of hidden arts, shalt thou not have;

I will destroy your magic charms, and you will have no soothsayers.

13 And I will cut off thine images and thy pillars out of thy midst, —and thou shalt not bow thyself down, any more, to the work of thine own hands;

I will cut down your idols and sacred pillars, and you will not worship any more the work of your hands.

14 And I will uproot thy Sacred Stems out of thy midst, —and will destroy thy cities:

I will uproot your sacred poles, and destroy your idols.

15 Then will I execute, with anger and with indignation, vengeance upon the nations, —of which they have not heard.

In my wrath and my anger I will seek vengeance on the nations that ignore me.”