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A Ruler from Bethlehem

[a] Now muster troops, O daughter of troops;
    a siege he puts against us.
They strike the ruler of Israel
    with a rod on the cheek.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you one will go out for me,
    to be ruler in Israel;
and his origins are from of old,
    from ancient days.
Therefore he will give them up
    until the time of she who is with child has given birth.
And the rest of his brothers will return
    to the children of Israel.
And he will stand and shepherd his flock
    in the strength of Yahweh,
    in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God.
And they will live,
    for now he will be great unto the ends of the earth.
And this one will be peace.
As for the Assyrian,[b] when he comes into our land
    and when he treads on our fortresses,
then we will raise up against him seven shepherds
    and eight leaders of men.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 Micah 5:1–15 in the English Bible is 4:14–5:14 in the Hebrew Bible
  2. Micah 5:5 Hebrew “Assyria”

From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge(A) of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
Bethlehem Ephrathah,(B)
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you(C)
to be ruler over Israel for me.(D)
His origin[a] is from antiquity,(E)
from ancient times.
Therefore, Israel will be abandoned(F) until the time
when she who is in labor(G) has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers(H) will return
to the people of Israel.(I)
He will stand and shepherd them(J)
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.(K)
He will be their peace.(L)
When Assyria invades our land,(M)
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:2 Lit His going out