LEB MIC Chapter 5

A Ruler from Bethlehem

• 5 [fn] 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.
• 2 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.
• 3 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.
• 4 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.
• 5 And this one will be peace.
• As for the Assyrian,[fn] 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.
• 6 And they will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
  • and the land of Nimrod at its entrances.
• And he will rescue us from the Assyrian[fn]
  • when he comes into our land,
  • and when they tread upon our border.

A Remnant Delivered

• 7 And the remnant of Jacob will be
  • in the midst of many nations,
• like dew from Yahweh,
  • like showers upon the grass
• which does not wait for a man,
  • nor delays for the children of humankind.
• 8 And the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
  • in the midst of many peoples,
• like a lion among the wild animals of the forest,
  • like a young lion among the herds of sheep
• which, when it passes through and treads down
  • and tears in pieces, there is none who can deliver.
• 9 Your hand will be lifted high over your enemies,
  • and all your foes will be cut off.
• 10 “And it will happen that in that day,” declares[fn] Yahweh,
  • “then I will cut off your horses from among you,
  • and I will destroy your chariots.
• 11 And I will cut off the cities of your land,
  • and I will demolish all your fortifications.
• 12 And I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
  • and you will not have soothsayers.
• 13 And I will cut off your idols
  • and your stone pillars from among you,
• and you will no longer bow down
  • to the work of your hands.
• 14 And I will uproot your Asherahs from among you,
  • and I will destroy your cities.
• 15 And in anger and in wrath I will execute vengeance
  • on the nations who did not obey.”