Miquéias 5

From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

1 Now, daughter who is under attack,

you slash yourself in grief;

a siege is set against us!

They are striking the judge  * 5:1 1Kg 22:24; Jb 16:10; Lm 3:30 of Israel

on the cheek with a rod.

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,  * 5:2 Gn 35:19; Ru 4:11; 1Sm 17:12; Mt 2:6

you are small among the clans of Judah;

one will come from you  * 5:2 Is 11:1; Lk 2:4

to be ruler over Israel for me.  * 5:2 2Ch 7:18; Is 11:1; Jr 30:21; Zch 9:9; Mt 2:6

His origin  * 5:2 Lit His going out is from antiquity,  * 5:2 Ps 74:2; 102:25; Pr 8:22–23; Hab 1:12

from ancient times.

3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned  * 5:3 Hs 11:8; Mc 4:10; 7:13 until the time

when she who is in labor  * 5:3 Mc 4:9–10 has given birth;

then the rest of the ruler’s brothers  * 5:3 Is 10:20–22; Mc 5:7–8 will return

to the people of Israel.  * 5:3 Mc 4:6–7

4 He will stand and shepherd them  * 5:4 Is 40:11; 49:9; Ezk 34:13–15,23–24; Mc 7:14

in the strength of the  Lord,

in the majestic name of the  Lord his God.

They will live securely,

for then his greatness will extend

to the ends of the earth.  * 5:4 Is 45:22; 52:10

5 He will be their peace.  * 5:5 Is 9:6

When Assyria invades our land,  * 5:5 Is 8:7–8; 10:24–27

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherd  * 5:6 Nah 2:11–13; Zph 2:13 the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod  * 5:6 Gn 10:8–12 with a drawn blade.  * 5:6 Aq, Vg; MT, Sym read Nimrod at its gateways

So he will rescue us  * 5:6 Is 14:25; 37:36–37 from Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.

The Glorious and Purified Remnant

7 Then the remnant of Jacob  * 5:7 Is 10:21; Mc 2:12; 4:7; 7:18

will be among many peoples

like dew from the  Lord,  * 5:7 Dt 32:2; 2Sm 17:12; Ps 110:3; Hs 14:5

like showers on the grass,  * 5:7 Ps 72:6; Is 44:3

which do not wait for anyone

or linger for mankind.

8 Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among the nations, among many peoples,

like a lion among animals of the forest,  * 5:8 Gn 49:9; Nm 24:9

like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

which tramples  * 5:8 Ps 44:5; Is 41:15–16; Mc 4:13; Zch 10:5 and tears  * 5:8 Hs 5:14 as it passes through,

and there is no one to rescue them.  * 5:8 Ps 50:22

9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,  * 5:9 Ps 10:12; 21:8; Is 26:11

and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 In that day —

this is the  Lord’s declaration —

I will remove your horses from you  * 5:10 Dt 17:16; Is 2:7; Hs 14:3

and wreck your chariots.

11 I will remove the cities of your land  * 5:11 Is 1:7; 6:11

and tear down all your fortresses.  * 5:11 Is 2:12–17; Hs 10:14; Am 5:9

12 I will remove sorceries from your hands,  * 5:12 Dt 18:10–12; Is 2:6; 8:19

and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

13 I will remove your carved images  * 5:13 Is 2:18,20; 17:8; Ezk 6:9

and sacred pillars from you

so that you will no longer worship

the work of your hands.

14 I will pull up the Asherah poles  * 5:14 Dt 16:21 from among you  * 5:14 Ex 34:13; Is 27:9

and demolish your cities.  * 5:14 Or shrines

15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath  * 5:15 Is 1:24; 65:12

against the nations that have not obeyed me.