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The Mountain of the Lord

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.
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].
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.
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.
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.

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].
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.
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

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.”

The Mountain of the Lord(A)

In the last days

the mountain(B) of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,(C)
    and peoples will stream to it.(D)

Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,(E)
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.(F)
He will teach us(G) his ways,(H)
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law(I) will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between many peoples
    and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.(J)
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.(K)
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war(L) anymore.(M)
Everyone will sit under their own vine
    and under their own fig tree,(N)
and no one will make them afraid,(O)
    for the Lord Almighty has spoken.(P)
All the nations may walk
    in the name of their gods,(Q)
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
    our God for ever and ever.(R)

The Lord’s Plan

“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;(S)
    I will assemble the exiles(T)
    and those I have brought to grief.(U)
I will make the lame my remnant,(V)
    those driven away a strong nation.(W)
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion(X)
    from that day and forever.(Y)
As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(Z) to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(AA)

Why do you now cry aloud—
    have you no king[b](AB)?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
    that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?(AC)
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
    to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;(AD)
    there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem(AE) you
    out of the hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations
    are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
    let our eyes gloat(AF) over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,(AG)
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh,(AH) 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.”(AI)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,(AJ)
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:8 Or hill
  2. Micah 4:9 Or King
  3. Micah 4:9 Or Ruler