² “But you, Bethlehem^(A) Ephrathah,^(B)
    though you are small among the clans^[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler^(C) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,^(D)
    from ancient times.”^(E)

³ Therefore Israel will be abandoned^(F)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

⁴ He will stand and shepherd his flock^(G)
    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^(H)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

⁵ And he will be our peace^(I)
    when the Assyrians invade^(J) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,^(K)
6 who will rule^[b] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod^(L) with drawn sword.^[c](M)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.^(N)

⁷ The remnant^(O) of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew^(P) from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,^(Q)
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
⁸ The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,^(R)
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles^(S) as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.^(T)