Micah 4:9-5:9

9Why do you now cry aloud— have you no king Or King ? Has your ruler Or Ruler perished, that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?

10Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you must leave the city to camp in the open field. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you out of the hand of your enemies.

11But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!”

12But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD ; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. 13“Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations.” You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem 1In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14. Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.

2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans Or rulers of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.

4He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

5And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,

6who will rule Or crush the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. Or Nimrod in its gates He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders.

7The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man.

8The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue.

9Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.