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[a]Now, gather your troops, you city of troops.
    We are under attack.
    Enemies will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek with a stick.

The Lord’s Leader for Israel

You, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    are too small to be included among Judah’s cities.
        Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me.
            His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago.
That is why Yahweh will abandon Israel
    until the time a mother has a child.
    Then the rest of Yahweh’s people will return to the people of Israel.
The child will become the shepherd of his flock.
    He will lead them with the strength of Yahweh,
        with the majestic name of Yahweh his Elohim.
    They will live in safety
        because his greatness will reach the ends of the earth.
            This man will be their peace.

When the Assyrians invade our land and trample our palaces,
    we will attack them with seven shepherds and eight leaders.
        They will rule Assyria with their swords
            and the country of Nimrod with drawn swords.
        They will rescue us from the Assyrians
            when they come into our land
                and walk within our territory.
Then the few people left from Jacob will be among many people
    like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass.
        They do not put their hope in humans or wait for mortals.
The few people left from Jacob will be among the nations,
    among many people.
        They will be like a lion among animals in the forest,
            like a young lion among flocks of sheep.
        When a lion hunts,
            it tramples its victims and tears them to pieces,
                and there is no one to rescue them.
You will use your power against your opponents,
    and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 “When that day comes,” declares Yahweh,
    “I will destroy your horses
        and demolish your chariots.
11 I will destroy the cities in your land
    and tear down all your fortresses.
12 I will destroy your sorcerers,
    and you will have no more fortunetellers.
13 I will destroy your idols and your sacred monuments.
    You will no longer worship what your hands have made.
14 I will pull out your poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah.
    I will wipe out your cities.
15 I will take revenge with great anger
    on the nations that do not obey me.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 Micah 5:1–15 in English Bibles is Micah 4:14–5:14 in the Hebrew Bible.

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

[a]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek(A) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(B) Ephrathah,(C)
    though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(D) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(E)
    from ancient times.”(F)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(G)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock(H)
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness(I)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace(J)
    when the Assyrians invade(K) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,(L)
who will rule[c] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod(M) with drawn sword.[d](N)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.(O)

The remnant(P) of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew(Q) from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,(R)
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,(S)
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles(T) as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.(U)
Your hand will be lifted up(V) in triumph over your enemies,
    and all your foes will be destroyed.

10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.(W)
11 I will destroy the cities(X) of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.(Y)
12 I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.(Z)
13 I will destroy your idols(AA)
    and your sacred stones from among you;(AB)
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.(AC)
14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles[e](AD)
    when I demolish your cities.
15 I will take vengeance(AE) in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14.
  2. Micah 5:2 Or rulers
  3. Micah 5:6 Or crush
  4. Micah 5:6 Or Nimrod in its gates
  5. Micah 5:14 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah