< Micah 5 >

1 Gather your troops together, Jerusalem! An enemy is besieging us. They will strike Israel's leader on the cheek with a rod.
Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall strike the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But from you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, (though you are only a small place in Judah), will come a ruler of Israel to do my will. His existence is from the ages of eternity past.
But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he comes forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose activities forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 So the Lord will give up on them until the woman in labor has given birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which labors has brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 He will stand up and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. They will live in safety because his greatness is recognized all over the world.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5 He will be our source of peace when the Assyrians invade our land and destroy our fortresses. Then we will appoint many strong leaders,
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6 and they will rule Assyria with their swords, the land of Nimrod with drawn swords. He shall rescue us from the Assyrians when they invade our land, marching across our borders.
And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
7 Then those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be in the center of many nations, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which wait for no one, and which no one can delay.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men.
8 Those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be among many nations, in the center of many peoples. They will be like a lion among the wild animals of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, clawing and tearing as it passes through, with no one to come to the rescue.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Lift your hand in triumph against your enemies; all of them will be destroyed.
your hand shall be lifted up upon your adversaries, and all of your enemies shall be cut off.
10 On that day, says the Lord, I will kill your horses and break your chariots.
And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and I will destroy your chariots:
11 I will tear down your city walls and demolish your fortresses.
And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds:
12 I will stop the witchcraft you practice; there will be no more fortune-tellers for you.
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
13 I will smash down the idols and stone pillars that stand among you: you shall not bow down and worship idols that you make with your own hands any more.
Your graven images also will I cut off, and your standing images out of the midst of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 I will pull up the Asherah poles that you have and destroy your pagan places.
And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you: so will I destroy your cities.
15 In anger and fury I will execute vengeance on those nations that do not obey me.
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

< Micah 5 >