Micah 5

1 Now come together in battle ranks, daughter of soldiers; the soldiers have set up a siege around city, with a rod they will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.

Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, even though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come to me to rule in Israel, whose beginning is from ancient times, from everlasting.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

3 Therefore God will give them up, until the time when she who is in labor bears a child, and the rest of his brothers return to the people of Israel.

Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God. They will remain, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.

5 For this shall be the peace— when the Assyrians come into our land, and when they march against our fortresses, then we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight leaders over men.

And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its entrances. He will rescue us from the Assyrians, when they come into our land, when they march inside our borders.

And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders.

7 The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that do not wait for a man, and they do not wait for the children of mankind.

Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.

8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep. When he goes through them, he will trample over them and tear them to pieces, and there will be no one to save them.

Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.

9 Your hand will be lifted against your enemies, and it will destroy them.

Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.

10 “It will happen in that day”—this is Yahweh's declaration— “that I will destroy your horses from among you and will demolish your chariots.

“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots.

11 I will destroy the cities in your land and throw down all your strongholds.

I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.

12 I will destroy the witchcraft in your hand, and you will no longer have any diviners.

I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.

13 I will destroy your carved figures and your stone pillars from among you. You will no longer worship the workmanship of your hands.

I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.

14 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you, and I will destroy your cities.

I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.

15 I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not listened.”

I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed Me.”