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Chapter 5

[a]But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah(A)
    least among the clans of Judah,
From you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose origin is from of old,
    from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
    when she who is to give birth has borne,[b]
Then the rest of his kindred shall return
    to the children of Israel.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 5:1–6 Salvation will come through a “messiah,” an anointed ruler. The Book of Micah shares with Isaiah the expectation that God will deliver Israel through a king in the line of David. Bethlehem-Ephrathah is the home of the Davidic line.
  2. 5:2 These words are sometimes understood as a reference to Isaiah’s Emmanuel oracle, given some thirty years earlier (Is 7:14). The Gospel of Matthew reports that the chief priests and scribes cite this passage as the ancient promise of a messiah in the line of David to be born in Bethlehem (Mt 2:5–6).

[a] Now you are walled around with a wall;[b]
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel
    upon the cheek.

The Ruler from Bethlehem

[c] But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
    who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
    from ancient days.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 Ch 4.14 in Heb
  2. Micah 5:1 Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. Micah 5:2 Ch 5.1 in Heb

People of Jerusalem, gather your forces![a] We are besieged! They are attacking the leader of Israel!

God Promises a Ruler from Bethlehem

(A)The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.”

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 Probable text People … forces!; Hebrew unclear.

Birth of the King in Bethlehem

[a]Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
[b]They have laid siege against us;
With a rod they will (A)strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
[c]But as for (B)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From (C)you One will come forth for Me to be (D)ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are (E)from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 Ch 4:14 in Heb
  2. Micah 5:1 Lit He has
  3. Micah 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb

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(A) with a rod.

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

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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