Micah 4
1 Yahweh [says that] some day his temple will be on top of a mountain, and that mountain will be the most important [MET] one on the earth; it will be [as though it is] higher than all the hills, and huge groups of people from all over the world will come there [to worship].
But in the last days it will come about that the mountain of Yahweh's house will be established over the other mountains. It will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
2 [People from] many nations will say [to each other], “Let’s go to the mountain where Yahweh is, to the temple where we can worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. There God will teach us how he wants us to conduct our lives, and we will do what he wants us to do.” Zion [Hill] is the place where he will teach [people]; and [people will go] out from Jerusalem [to tell others] his messages.
Many nations will go and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For from Zion the law will go out, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
3 Yahweh will settle disputes between many people, and he will [also] settle disputes between powerful nations that are far away. Then people will hammer their swords to cause them to become plow blades, and [hammer] their spears to cause them to become pruning knives. [Armies of] nations will no [longer] fight against [armies of other] nations, and they will no longer train [men how to fight] in wars.
He will judge among many peoples and will decide concerning numerous nations far away. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any longer.
4 Everyone will sit [peacefully] under his own grapevines, and under his own fig trees; no one will cause them to be afraid. [That is what will surely happen] because the Commander of the armies of angels has said it.
Instead, they will sit every person under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of Yahweh of hosts has spoken.
5 Many [HYP] [of the people of other] nations will worship [IDM] their own gods, but we will worship Yahweh our God always, forever.
For all the peoples walk, each one, in the name of their god. But we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.
6 Yahweh says, “There will soon be a time when I will gather the people whom I have punished, who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries), all those whom [I have caused to] suffer much.
“On that day”—this is Yahweh's declaration— “I will assemble the lame and gather the outcast, those whom I have afflicted.
7 My people who did not die while they were exiled will become a strong nation [again]. Then [I], Yahweh, will be their king, and I will rule from Jerusalem forever.
I will turn the lame into a remnant, and the ones driven away into a strong nation, and I, Yahweh, will reign over them on Mount Zion, now and forever.
8 As for you people of Jerusalem [MET], you who [guard all of my people] like [MET] [a shepherd guards his sheep] from a tower, you [who live on] Zion [Hill], will have great power again. You people who live in Jerusalem will again rule like you did previously.
As for you, watchtower for the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion— to you it will come, your former dominion will be restored, the kingdom that belongs to the daughter of Jerusalem.
9 [So] why [RHQ] are you wailing now? Is it because you have no king? Have all your wise people died? You are groaning loudly like [SIM] a woman who is giving birth to a baby.
Now, why do you shout so loudly? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor died? Is this why pain grips you like that of a woman in labor?
10 [Well], you people of Jerusalem should writhe and groan like [SIM] a woman who is having birth pains, because now you must leave this city, and [while you are traveling], you will set up tents in open fields [at night]; you will go to [live in] Babylon. [But while you are] there, [I], Yahweh, will rescue you; I will free you from the power/control [MTY] of your enemies.
Be in pain and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will you go out of the city, live in the field, and go to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Yahweh will rescue you from the hand of your enemies.
11 Now [the armies of] many nations have gathered to attack you. They are saying, ‘Jerusalem must be destroyed! We want to see this city [when it becomes ruins]!’
Now many nations are assembled against you; they say, 'Let her be defiled; let our eyes gloat over Zion.'
12 But they do not know what [I], Yahweh, think, and they do not understand what I plan: I will gather them [and punish them] like [SIM] [farmers] thresh grain on the ground.
They do not know Yahweh's thoughts, neither do they understand his plans, for he has gathered them like bundles of grain prepared for the threshing floor.
13 So, you people of Jerusalem, rise up and punish [MET] [the nations who oppose you]. I will cause you [to be very strong], [as if] [MET] you had horns made of iron, [as if] [MET] you had hoofs made of bronze; and you will crush many nations. And [then you will take] from your enemies the valuable things that they have taken [from other countries], and you will dedicate those things to [me, the one who is] the Lord of all [the people on] the earth.”
Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn to be iron, and I will make your hooves to be bronze. You will crush many peoples and you will devote their unjust wealth to Yahweh, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.”
