Micah 5

1 Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

The Coming Messiah

2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.3 Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.4 And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;5 And this One shall be peace.

Judgment on Israels EnemiesWhen the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.

6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.7 Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men.8 And the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles, In the midst of many peoples, Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Who, if he passes through, Both treads down and tears in pieces, And none can deliver.9 Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off.10 And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots.11 I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds.12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers.13 Your carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands;14 I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities.15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard.

MICAH 5

A Promised Ruler

1 Jerusalem, enemy troops
have surrounded you;t
they have struck Israel's ruler
in the face with a stick.

2  t Bethlehem Ephrath,
you are one of the smallest towns
in the nation of Judah.
But the [Lord] will choose
one of your people
to rule the nation—
someone whose family
goes back to ancient times.t

3 The [Lord] will abandon Israel
only until this ruler is born,
and the rest of his familyt
returns to Israel.

4 Like a shepherd
taking care of his sheep,
this ruler will lead
and care for his people
by the power and glorious name
of the [Lord] his God.
His people will live securely,
and the whole earth will know
his true greatness,

5 because he will bring peace.

Assyria Will Be Defeated

6  t whose strong army will defeat
the nation of Assyria.t
Yes, our leaders will rescue us,
if those Assyrians
dare to invade our land.

The Survivors Will Be Safe

7 A few of Jacob's descendants
survived and are scattered
among the nations.
But the [Lord] will let them
cover the earth like dew and rain
that refreshes the soil.

8 At present they are scattered,
but later they will attack,
as though they were fierce lions
pouncing on sheep.
Their enemies will be torn
to shreds,
with no one to save them;

9 they will be helpless,
completely destroyed.

Idols Will Be Destroyed //in Israel

10 The [Lord] said:
At that time I will wipe out
your cavalry and chariots,

11 as well as your cities
and your fortresses.

12 I will stop you
from telling fortunes
and practicing witchcraft.

13 You will no longer worship
the idols or stone images
you have made—
I will destroy them,

14 together with the sacred polest
and even your towns.

15 I will become furious
and take revenge on the nations
that refuse to obey me.