Micah 4
Expanded Bible
The Mountain of the Lord
4 In the last days
the mountain ·on which the Lord’s Temple stands [L of the house of the Lord]
will become the ·most important [L head] of all mountains.
It will be raised above the hills,
and people from other nations will come streaming to it.
2 Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the ·Temple [L house] of the God of Jacob,
so that he can teach us his ways,
and we can ·obey his teachings [L walk in his paths].”
His ·teachings [instruction; law; L Torah] will go out from ·Jerusalem [L Zion],
the word of the Lord from ·that city [L Jerusalem].
3 The Lord will ·judge [or arbitrate between] many nations;
he will ·make decisions about [settle disputes between] strong nations that are far away.
They will ·hammer [beat] their swords into ·plow blades [T plowshares]
and their spears into ·hooks for trimming trees [pruning hooks; Is. 2:4; Joel 3:10].
Nations will no longer raise swords against other nations;
they will not train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will sit under his own grapevine and fig tree [C symbols of prosperity],
and no one will make him afraid,
because the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has said it.
5 All other nations ·may follow [L walk in the name of] their own gods,
but we will ·follow [L walk in the name of] the Lord our God forever and ever.
6 The Lord says, “·At that time [L In that day],
I will gather the ·crippled [lame];
I will ·bring together [assemble; gather] ·those who were sent away [the outcast/exile],
those whom I ·caused to have trouble [afflicted; filled with grief].
7 I will ·keep alive those who were crippled [make the lame a remnant],
and I will make a strong nation of those who were ·sent away [outcasts; exiles].
The Lord will ·be their king [reign over them] in Mount Zion from now on and forever.
8 And you, ·watchtower of the flocks [or Migdal-eder], ·hill [or stronghold] of ·Jerusalem [L Daughter Zion],
to you ·will come the kingdom [dominion will be restored] as in the past.
·Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem], the ·right to rule [kingship; sovereignty] will come again to you.”
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]?
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 4
New American Standard Bible
Peaceful Latter Days
4 And it will come about in the (A)last days
That the (B)mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established [a]as the chief of the mountains.
It will be raised above the hills,
And the (C)peoples will stream to it.
2 (D)Many nations will come and say,
“(E)Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord
And to the house of the God of Jacob,
So that (F)He may teach us about His ways,
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For (G)from Zion will go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 And He will (H)judge between many peoples
And render decisions for mighty, [b]distant nations.
Then they will beat their swords (I)into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation will not lift a sword against nation,
And never again will they [c]train for war.
4 Instead, each of them will (J)sit under his vine
And under his fig tree,
With (K)no one to make them afraid,
Because the (L)mouth of the Lord of armies has spoken.
5 Though all the peoples walk,
Each in the (M)name of his god,
As for us, (N)we will walk
In the name of the (O)Lord our God forever and ever.
6 “On that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will assemble those who (P)limp
And (Q)gather the scattered,
Those whom I have afflicted.
7 I will make those who limp a (R)remnant,
And those who [d]have strayed a mighty nation,
And the (S)Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion
From now on and forever.
8 As for you, [e](T)tower of the flock,
[f]Hill of the daughter of Zion,
To you it will come—
Yes, the (U)former dominion will come,
The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
9 “Now, why do you (V)cry out loudly?
Is there no king among you,
Or has your (W)counselor perished,
That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?
10 (X)Writhe and scream,
Daughter of Zion,
Like a woman in childbirth;
For now you will (Y)go out of the city,
Live in the field,
And go to Babylon.
(Z)There you will be rescued,
(AA)There the Lord will redeem you
From the hand of your enemies.
11 And now (AB)many nations have been assembled against you
Who say, ‘Let her be defiled,
And let our eyes [g]gloat over Zion!’
12 But they do not (AC)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 (AD)thresh, daughter of Zion,
For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hoofs bronze,
So that you may (AE)pulverize many peoples,
And (AF)dedicate to the Lord their unjust profit,
And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
