Micah 4

The mountain and the nations

1In the days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
will stand established above the mountains,
raised higher than the hills.
Peoples will stream toward it. 2Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of Jacob’s God.
He will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For instruction will go out from Zion,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3He will judge between many peoples
and settle disputes for powerful nations far away.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not raise a sword against nation,
and they will no longer learn war. 4Each will sit beneath his own vine and fig tree,
with no one to frighten them,
for the mouth of the LORD of Armies has spoken. 5All the peoples walk,
each in the name of its god;
but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
forever and ever.

The scattered gathered

6“On that day,” declares the LORD,
“I will gather the lame
and assemble those driven away,
those whom I have afflicted. 7I will make the lame a remnant
and those cast far off a powerful nation.
The LORD will reign over them on Mount Zion
from now and forever. 8And you, tower of the flock,
stronghold of daughter Zion—
to you the former dominion will come,
the kingship of daughter Jerusalem.”

Exile and rescue

9Now why do you cry aloud?
Have you no king? Has your counselor perished,
that pain grips you like a woman in labor? 10Writhe and push, daughter Zion, like a woman giving birth.
Now you must leave the city, live in the open country,
and go as far as Babylon.
There you will be rescued;
there the LORD will redeem you from your enemies’ hands. 11Now many nations have gathered against you, saying,
“Let her be defiled! Let our eyes feast on Zion!” 12But they do not know the LORD’s thoughts
or understand his counsel:
he has gathered them like sheaves to a threshing floor. 13“Rise and thresh, daughter Zion!
I will make your horn iron and your hooves bronze,
and you will crush many peoples.
I will devote their gain to the LORD,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.”