The Lord’s Plan

“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;(A)
    I will assemble the exiles(B)
    and those I have brought to grief.(C)
I will make the lame my remnant,(D)
    those driven away a strong nation.(E)
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion(F)
    from that day and forever.(G)
As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored(H) to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.(I)

Why do you now cry aloud—
    have you no king[b](J)?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
    that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?(K)
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;(L)
    there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem(M) 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(N) over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,(O)
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh,(P) 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.”(Q)
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,(R)
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

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Footnotes

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

On that day—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
I will assemble the lame
and gather the scattered,(A)
those I have injured.
I will make the lame into a remnant,(B)
those far removed into a strong nation.
Then the Lord will rule over them(C) in Mount Zion
from this time on and forever.
And you, watchtower for the flock,(D)
fortified hill[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former rule(E) will come to you,
sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

From Exile to Victory

Now, why are you shouting loudly?(F)
Is there no king with you?
Has your counselor perished(G)
so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?
10 Writhe and cry out,[b](H) Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you will leave the city(I)
and camp in the open fields.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued;(J)
there the Lord will redeem you(K)
from the power of your enemies!
11 Many nations have now assembled against you;(L)
they say, “Let her be defiled,
and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”
12 But they do not know the Lord’s intentions(M)
or understand His plan,
that He has gathered them
like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Rise and thresh,(N) Daughter Zion,
for I will make your horns iron
and your hooves bronze,
so you can crush many peoples.(O)
Then you[c] will set apart their plunder(P)
to the Lord for destruction,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 4:8 Or flock, Ophel
  2. Micah 4:10 Hb obscure
  3. Micah 4:13 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads I