Micah 5

1 Now gather thyself together, O daughter of troops, A siege he hath laid against us, With a rod they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel.

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.

2 And thou, Beth-Lehem Ephratah, Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From thee to Me he cometh forth — to be ruler in Israel, And his comings forth [are] of old, From the days of antiquity.

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.

3 Therefore he doth give them out till the time She who bringeth forth hath brought forth, And the remnant of his brethren return to the sons of Israel.

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.

4 And he hath stood and delighted in the strength of Jehovah, In the excellency of the name of Jehovah his God, And they have remained, For now he is great unto the ends of earth.

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.

5 And this [one] hath been peace, Asshur! when he doth come into our land, And when he doth tread in our palaces, We have raised against him seven shepherds, And eight anointed of man.

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.

6 And they have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword, And the land of Nimrod at its openings, And he hath delivered from Asshur when he doth come into our land, And when he treadeth in our borders.

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.

7 And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from Jehovah — as showers on the herb, That waiteth not for man, nor stayeth for the sons of men.

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.

8 Yea, the remnant of Jacob hath 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 hath passed through, Hath both trodden down and hath torn, And there is no deliverer.

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.

9 High is thy hand above thine adversaries, And all thine enemies are cut off.

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

10 And it hath come to pass in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah, I have cut off thy horses from thy midst, And I have destroyed thy chariots,

“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.

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

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

12 And have cut off sorcerers out of thy hand, And observers of clouds thou hast none.

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

13 And I have cut off thy graven images, And thy standing-pillars out of thy midst, And thou dost not bow thyself any more To the work of thy hands.

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

14 And I have plucked up thy shrines out of thy midst, And I have destroyed thine enemies.

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

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

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