11 And now (A)many nations have been assembled against you
Who say, ‘Let her be defiled,
And let our eyes [a]gloat over Zion!’
12 But they do not (B)know the thoughts of the Lord,
And they do not understand His plan;
For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and (C)thresh, daughter of Zion,
For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hoofs bronze,
So that you may (D)pulverize many peoples,
And (E)dedicate to the Lord their unjust profit,
And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

[b]Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
[c]They have laid siege against us;
With a rod they will (F)strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
[d]But as for (G)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From (H)you One will come forth for Me to be (I)ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are (J)from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”
Therefore He will (K)give them up until the time
When she (L)who is in labor has given birth.
Then the (M)remainder of His kinsmen
Will return to the sons of Israel.
And He will arise and (N)shepherd His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.
And they will [e]remain,
Because [f]at that time He will be great
To the (O)ends of the earth.
This One (P)will be our peace.
When the (Q)Assyrian invades our land,
When he tramples on our [g]citadels,
Then we will raise against him
Seven shepherds and eight leaders of people.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:11 Lit see with pleasure
  2. Micah 5:1 Ch 4:14 in Heb
  3. Micah 5:1 Lit He has
  4. Micah 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
  5. Micah 5:4 Or live in safety
  6. Micah 5:4 Lit now
  7. Micah 5:5 Or palaces

11 But now many nations
    are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
    let our eyes gloat(A) over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,(B)
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh,(C) Daughter Zion,
    for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
    and you will break to pieces many nations.”(D)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,(E)
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

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(F) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(G) Ephrathah,(H)
    though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(I) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(J)
    from ancient times.”(K)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(L)
    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(M)
    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(N)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace(O)
    when the Assyrians invade(P) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,(Q)

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