MIC 5:6 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–6: A ruler will be born in Bethlehem

In this section, Micah told the people of Jerusalem that an enemy would come against them who would cause them to suffer. But their suffering would end when a strong ruler came from Bethlehem. He would enable the people to defeat their enemies and would bring peace.

Here are some other examples of section headings:Some versions place a similar heading before verse 2. For example, the NRSV has “The Ruler from Bethlehem,” and the NET has “A King Will Come and a Remnant Will Prosper.”

A Promised Ruler (CEV)

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem (ESV)

Birth of the King in Bethlehem (NASB)

Note: TN and most English versions number the verses in this chapter as 5:1–15. The NAB, NJB, and NJPS number the verses according to the Hebrew Text (BHS): 4:14–5:14.NET footnote (a). When TN quotes one of these four versions, it will adjust the numbering to follow the BSB and most English versions.

Paragraphs:In some cases, the paragraph divisions are not indicated or else differ between Paratext, TW, Logos, and Bible Gateway. In such cases, TN has tried to follow the majority. The Notes will divide this section into the following paragraphs: 5:1, 2–4, 5–6 (NJB). Divide the paragraphs in a way that will be appropriate and acceptable to the readers in your language area.

5:6

This verse describes how the appointed leaders/shepherds will rescue Israel when the armies of Assyria invade their nation.

5:6a–b

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning:

^6aAnd they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword,

^6band the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 5:6b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 5:6a. For example:

^6band they will rule the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn.

5:6a

And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword,

They will defeat the nation of Assyria with the sword and rule over them.
They will use their weapons to conquer Assyria and then rule it.

And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword: This clause indicates that the territory the appointed leaders will rule will extend beyond the borders of Israel. They will also rule the nation of Assyria.

rule…with the sword: This phrase is literally “and they will shepherd…with the sword.” Here the word “shepherd” means to rule.HALOT (electronic edition, page 1260) 6.c. The phrase “shepherd with the sword” is a figurative expression that indicates what they will use to rule. Since the word sword refers to a military weapon, the expression here indicates that the appointed leaders will fight and conquer the Assyrians before they rule over them.According to Waltke 2007 (page 291), Micah may include the word “sword” here to intensify that it will be the instrument of subjugation of the Assyrians. The chiefs/leaders will move from the defense of their homeland against Assyria to the offensive posture of ruling Assyria’s homeland.

Here are some ways to translate this verse part:

Make the action and means of ruling explicit. Leave the action of conquering implied. For example:
They will rule Assyria with the sword (REB)
Make the action of conquering explicit and leave the action of ruling implied. For example:
We will counterattack, led by a number of rulers whose strong army will defeat the nation of Assyria. (CEV)
Make both actions explicit. For example:
They will conquer and rule over the nation of Assyria.

5:6b

and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn.

They will govern this land of Nimrod at its city gates.
They will control every entrance to the Assyrian nation, the land of Nimrod.

The ESV has been used as the source line for 6b, because it follows the recommended textual options.

(ESV) and the land of Nimrod at its entrances: This clause is parallel to 6a. It indicates that the appointed rulers will rule over the land of Nimrod.

(ESV) the land of Nimrod: Nimrod is the name of the founder of Assyria and Babylon and several other places (see Genesis 10:8–12). The preceding parallel line 5:6a explicitly refers to Assyria, so the phrase the land of Nimrod is probably another way to refer to Assyria.Some that favor a reference to Assyria here are UBS and KD. Some scholars suggest that the phrase “the land of Nimrod” refers to Babylon. For example, CBC, Pusey, and Waltke 2007. Others suggest that the phrase may refer to either or both places. For example, WBC, NAC and JFB. However, no version translates the phrase as “the land of Babylon.”

Here are some translation options:

Translate this phrase literally. Leave the referent implied. For example:
the land of Nimrod (NASB)
Translate the referent “Assyria” explicitly. For example:
the land of Assyria (NCV)

Consider adding a cross-reference to Genesis 10:8–12 here.

(ESV) at its entrances: This phrase has a textual issue:

The Masoretic Text has “at its entrances/gates.”KD (page 329) suggests that the Hebrew word for “entrances/gates” is parallel to the word “fortresses” in 5:5c, which may refer to city gates or entrances. In that verse, the Assyrians enter the city gates/entrances of Israel. In this verse, the Israelite leaders enter the city gates/entrances of Assyria. Alternately, JFB (page 693) suggests that this line is parallel to 5:5b, in which the Assyrians enter the land of Israel. As the Assyrian invade the borders of Israel, so will the Israelites invade the borders of Assyria. Either parallel is possible. For example:
The land of Nimrod at its entrances (NASB) (ESV, KJV, NASB, NJPS, NLT)
Some scholars think that the original text was “with a drawn sword.”For example, see A&F (page 480) and Davis (page 92). For example:
the land of Nimrod with drawn sword (NIV) (BSB, GW, NABRE, NCV, NET, NJB, NRSV, NIV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It makes sense without making any changes to the Hebrew text.Option (2) “with drawn sword” requires emending the Hebrew text to make it clearly parallel to “sword” in the previous line. However, no textual evidence exists to support this emendation.

The phrase at its entrances means “entrances to a country.”BDB #6607 (pages 835–836): “entrances to a country.” Here the phrase refers to the country of Assyria. It may also imply the gates of a city or the public buildings from which the appointed leaders will govern the people.KD (page 329).

5:6c

So He will deliver us when Assyria

Thus our^(incl) ruler will save us^(incl) from the Assyrians if
In this way, our king will free us from the power/might of the Assyrian empire if/when

So He will deliver us when Assyria: There is a textual issue with the Hebrew word that the ESV translates as So He will deliver us:

The Masoretic Text has “and he will deliver.” For example:
Thus he will deliver [us] from Assyria (NJPS) (BSB, ESV, KJV, NASB, NIV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT)
Some scholars think that the original text had “and they will deliver.” For example:
and they will save us from the Assyrians (GNT) (CEV, GW, NLT96, NRSV, REB, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It is supported by a majority of commentaries and a slight majority of versions, including the early versions, the LXX, and the Peshitta.

One way to make it clearer that the word He refers back to the ruler in 5:5a is to make the referent explicit. For example:

Our king will rescue us from the Assyrians (NET)

He will use the appointed leaders to rescue the people from their enemy, the nation of Assyria.

This clause part refers back to the same situation that 5:5 describes. It does not refer to a separate Assyrian invasion. One way to make it clearer that this is not a new invasion is to make a backward reference explicit. For example:

Thus he will deliver [us] from Assyria (NJPS)

In this way he will save us from the Assyrians

deliver us when Assyria: This phrase is literally “and he will deliver [us] from Assyria.”

The word deliver means “deliver,” “rescue,” or “save.”TWOT #1404. This phrase probably means that the one of peace will use the appointed leaders to drive away Israel’s enemies and keep the people safe.

As in 5:5b, it is more natural in some languages to describe an attack by the people of a country rather than an attack by a country. For example:

and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian (ESV)

Our king will rescue us from the Assyrians (NET)

Translate this phrase in a natural way in your language.

5:6d–e

(combined/reordered)

they invade our territory (GNT)

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning:

^6c-dSo He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land

^6e and marches into our borders.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 5:6e. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 5:6c–d. For example:

^6e and when Assyria marches into our borders.

These lines describe the situation in which the deliverance in 6c will occur. It will happen if or when the Assyrians invade Israel.

General Comment on 5:6d–e

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these two parallel lines. For example:

if those Assyrians dare to invade our land (CEV)

5:6d

invades our land

their soldiers enter our^(incl) country
their armies invade the land of Israel

5:6e

and marches into our borders.

and march inside the borders of our^(incl) land.
and wage war against us within our borders.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear MIC 5:6

Hebrew word order