Micah 5

1 Now thou, daughter of a thief, shalt be destroyed; they putted on us besieging, in a rod they shall smite the cheek of the judge of Israel. (Now, daughter of a thief, thou shalt be destroyed; they have put besieging against us, and they shall strike the cheek of the judge, or of the ruler, of Israel with a rod.)

2 And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, art little in the thousands of Judah; he that is the lordly governor in Israel shall go out of thee to me (but he who shall be the ruler, or the governor, in Israel shall go out of thee to me); and the going out of him is from [the] beginning, from (the) days of everlastingness.

3 For this thing he shall give them (up), till to the time in which the (woman) travailing of child shall bear child, and the remnants of his brethren shall be turned again to the sons of Israel. (For this thing he shall give them all up, until the time in which the woman with child in labour shall give birth to her child, and then the remnants of his kinsmen shall return to the Israelites.)

4 And he shall stand, and shall feed in the strength of the Lord, in the height of the name of his Lord God; and they shall be converted, for now he shall be magnified till to the ends of all earth. (And he shall stand, and shall rule them in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall continue in safety and security, for now he shall be magnified unto the ends of the earth.)

5 And this shall be peace, when (the) Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our houses; and we shall raise on him seven shepherds, and eight primates men, either the first in dignity. (And he shall be a man of peace. But when the Assyrians shall come into our land, and when they shall tread down our houses, then we shall raise up against them seven or eight shepherds, or primates, that is, those who be the first in dignity.)

6 And they shall waste the land of Assur by sword, and the land of Nimrod by (the) spears of him; and he shall deliver us from Assur, when he shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our coasts. (And they shall destroy the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with their spears; and they shall save us from the Assyrians, when they shall come into our land, and when they shall tread upon all our coasts.)

7 And remnants of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, as dew of the Lord, and as drops on herb, which abideth not man, and shall not abide the sons of men. (And the remnants of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, and like drops on the grass, which do not wait for people, and do not follow their commands.)

8 And remnants of Jacob shall be in heathen men, in the middle of many peoples, as a lion among beasts of the woods, and as a whelp of a lion roaring in flocks of sheep; and when he passeth, and defouleth, and taketh, there is not that shall deliver. (And the remnants of Jacob shall be among the heathen, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the woods, and like a lion's cub roaring among the flocks of sheep; and when he passeth by, and taketh, and defileth them, there is no one who shall save them.)

9 And thine hand shall be raised (up)on thine enemies, and all thine enemies shall perish.

10 And it shall be, in that day, saith the Lord, I shall take away thine horses from the middle of thee, and I shall destroy thy four-horsed carts. (And it shall be, on that day, saith the Lord, I shall take away thy horses from thy midst, and I shall destroy thy chariots.)

11 And I shall lose the cities of thy land, and I shall destroy all thy strongholds, either wardings; (And I shall destroy the cities of thy land, and I shall destroy all thy fortresses;)

12 and I shall do away witchcrafts from thine hand, and divinations, either tellings by devil's craft, shall not be in thee. (and I shall do away witchcraft from thee, and no more shall there be divinations, or fortunetelling by the devil's craft, among thee.)

13 And I shall make for to perish thy graven images, and I shall break together from the middle of thee thine images, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thine hands. (And I shall make thy carved idols to perish, and I shall altogether break thy images, or thy figures, in thy midst, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands.)

14 And I shall draw out of the midst of thee thy woods (dedicated to idols), and I shall all-break thy cities. (And I shall pull down thy sacred poles in thy midst, and I shall altogether break, or completely destroy, thy cities.)

15 And I shall make in wrath and indignation vengeance in all folks, which heard not. (And in anger and indignation, I shall take vengeance upon all the nations, who did not obey me.)

Micah 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

The birth of Christ and conversion of the Gentiles. (1-6) The triumphs of Israel. (7-15)

Verses 1-6 Having showed how low the house of David would be brought, a prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom is added to encourage the faith of God's people. His existence from eternity as God, and his office as Mediator, are noticed. Here is foretold that Bethlehem should be his birthplace. Hence it was universally known among the Jews, ( Matthew 2:5 ) . Christ's government shall be very happy for his subjects; they shall be safe and easy. Under the shadow of protection from the Assyrians, is a promise of protection to the gospel church and all believers, from the designs and attempts of the powers of darkness. Christ is our Peace as a Priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God; and he is our Peace as a King, conquering our enemies: hence our souls may dwell at ease in him. Christ will find instruments to protect and deliver. Those that threaten ruin to the church of God, soon bring ruin on themselves. This may include the past powerful effects of the preached gospel, its future spread, and the ruin of all antichristian powers. This is, perhaps, the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament: it respects the personal character of the Messiah, and the discoveries of himself to the world. It distinguishes his human birth from his existing from eternity; it foretells the rejection of the Israelites and Jews for a season, their final restoration, and the universal peace to prevail through the whole earth in the latter days. In the mean time let us trust our Shepherd's care and power. If he permits the assault of our enemies, he will supply helpers and assistance for us.

Verses 7-15 The remnant of Israel, converted to Christ in the primitive times, were among many nations as the drops of dew, and were made instruments in calling a large increase of spiritual worshippers. But to those who neglected or opposed this salvation, they would, as lions, cause terror, their doctrine condemning them. The Lord also declares that he would cause not only the reformation of the Jews, but the purification of the Christian church. In like manner shall we be assured of victory in our personal conflicts, as we simply depend upon the Lord our salvation, worship him, and serve him with diligence.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 5

This chapter begins with a prophecy of the siege of Jerusalem, Mic 5:1; and then follows another concerning the place of the Messiah's birth, Mic 5:2; and of the case of the Jews, either before or after it, Mic 5:3; and of Christ's office as a shepherd, and of his grandeur in the world, Mic 5:4; and of his being a peacemaker, and protector of his people from their enemies, Mic 5:5,6; and of his people, the great increase of them, and their usefulness, and also of their courage, strength, and prowess, Mic 5:7-9; likewise that the Lord will remove from them their vain confidence, and all occasion of it, and whatsoever illicit arts and practices were found among them; and all idolatry, and the instruments of it, Mic 5:10-14; and the chapter is concluded with a threatening of vengeance to the Heathens, Mic 5:15.