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 you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod 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, being small amongst the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.

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 he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labour gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children 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 shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will live, 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.

He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of 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 rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.

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 amongst many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man nor wait for the sons of men.

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 amongst the nations, amongst many peoples, like a lion amongst the animals of the forest, like a young lion amongst the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.

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

Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

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”, says the LORD, “that I will cut off your horses from amongst you and will destroy your chariots.

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

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

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

I will destroy witchcraft from your hand. You shall have no soothsayers.

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 cut off your engraved images and your pillars from amongst you; and you shall no more worship the work 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 amongst 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 didn’t listen.”