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.