Micah 4:9
Expanded Bible
Why the Israelites Must Go to Babylon
9 Now, why do you cry so loudly?
·Is your king gone [Have you no king/King; C either a human king or God]?
Have you lost your ·helper [counselor; wise guide],
so that you are in pain, like a woman ·trying to give birth [in labor]?
Micah 4:10-13
Expanded Bible
10 ·People of Jerusalem [L Daughter Zion], ·strain and be in pain [writhe and groan].
Be like a woman ·trying to give birth [in labor],
because now you must leave the city
and live in the field.
You will go to Babylon,
but you will be ·saved [rescued] from that place.
The Lord will go there
and ·buy you back [redeem you] from [L the hand of] your enemies.
11 But now many nations
have ·come to fight [gathered; assembled] against you,
saying, “·Let’s destroy Jerusalem [L Let her be defiled/desecrated].
We will ·look at her and be glad we have defeated [gloat over; L let our eye look upon] ·her [L Zion].”
12 But they don’t know
·what the Lord is thinking [the thoughts of the Lord];
they don’t understand his plan.
He has gathered them like ·bundles of grain [sheaves] to the threshing floor.
13 “Get up and ·beat them [thresh], ·people of Jerusalem [Daughter Zion].
I will make you ·strong as if you had horns of iron [horns of iron]
and hoofs of bronze.
You will beat many nations into small pieces
and ·give [devote; consecrate] their ·wealth [gains; spoils] to the Lord,
their ·treasure [wealth] to the Lord of all the earth.”
Micah 5:1-3
Expanded Bible
5 So, ·strong city [L daughter of troops], ·gather [marshal; muster] your ·soldiers [troops] together,
because we are ·surrounded and attacked [besieged].
They will ·hit [strike] the ·leader [ruler; judge] of Israel
·in the face [on the cheek] with a ·club [rod; or scepter].
The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are ·too small to be [or small; insignificant] among the ·army groups from [clans of] Judah,
from you will come one who will rule Israel for me [C the Messiah; Is. 9:1–7; 11:1–16; Matt. 2:6].
·He comes [His origins are; L His goings out are] from ·very old [ancient] times,
from days long ago.”
3 The Lord will ·give up [abandon] his people
until the one who is ·having a baby [in labor] gives birth;
then the rest of his ·relatives [brothers] will return
to the people of Israel.
John 16:21
Expanded Bible
21 When a woman ·gives birth to a baby [goes into labor], she has pain, because her ·time [L hour] has come. But when her baby is born, she ·forgets the pain [does not remember the suffering/affliction], because ·she is so happy [L of the joy] that a ·child [L human being] has been born into the world.
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John 16:22
Expanded Bible
22 It is the same with you. Now you are ·sad [sorrowful; in pain; grieving], but I will see you again and ·you [L your heart] will ·be happy [rejoice], and no one will take away your joy.
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