Micah 5

The siege and the ruler

1Now muster your troops, daughter of troops!
A siege is laid against us.
With a rod they strike Israel’s judge on the cheek. 2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
small among Judah’s clans,
from you will come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origins are from long ago, from ancient days. 3So he will give them up
until the woman in labor has given birth.
Then the rest of his brothers
will return to the people of Israel. 4He will stand and shepherd
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
They will dwell securely,
for now he will be great to the ends of the earth. 5And he will be peace.
When Assyria enters our land
and treads through our citadels,
we will raise against him seven shepherds,
eight leaders of men. 6They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod at its entrances.
He will rescue us from Assyria
when it enters our land and treads within our borders.

The remnant among the peoples

7Then Jacob’s remnant among many peoples
will be like dew from the LORD,
like showers on grass,
which do not wait for a person
or depend on human beings. 8Jacob’s remnant among the nations, among many peoples,
will be like a lion among forest animals,
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which passes through, tramples, and tears,
with no one to rescue. 9Your hand will rise over your adversaries,
and all your enemies will be cut off.

The removal of false securities

10“On that day,” declares the LORD,
“I will cut off your horses from among you
and destroy your chariots. 11I will cut off the cities of your land
and tear down all your fortresses. 12I will cut off sorceries from your hands,
and you will have no more fortune-tellers. 13I will cut off your carved images and sacred pillars from among you.
You will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. 14I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you
and destroy your cities. 15In anger and fury I will take vengeance
on the nations that have not listened.”