Micah 4; Micah 5

1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord's house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Peoples will stream to it,

2 and many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so we may walk in His paths." For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

3 He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.

4 But each man will sit under his grapevine and under his fig tree with no one to frighten [him]. For the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has promised [this].

5 Though all the peoples each walk in the name of their gods, we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.

6 On that day- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration- I will assemble the lame and gather the scattered, those I have injured.

7 I will make the lame into a remnant, those far removed into a strong nation. Then the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from this time on and forever.

8 And you, watchtower for the flock, fortified hill of Daughter Zion, the former rule will come to you, sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

9 Now, why are you shouting loudly? Is there no king with you? Has your counselor perished, so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

10 Writhe and cry out, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the power of your enemies!

11 Many nations have now assembled against you; they say, "Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion."

12 But they do not know the Lord's intentions or understand His plan, that He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will make your horns iron and your hooves bronze, so you can crush many peoples. Then you will devote what they plundered to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

1 Now daughter [who is] under attack, you slash yourself [in grief]; a siege is set against us! They are striking the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.

3 Therefore, He will abandon them until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the people of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd [them] in the strength of Yahweh, in the majestic name of Yahweh His God. They will live securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.

5 There will be peace. When Assyria invades our land, when it marches against our fortresses, we will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade. So He will rescue us from Assyria when it invades our land, when it marches against our territory.

7 Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, 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, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, and there is no one to rescue [them].

9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 In that day- the Lord's declaration- I will remove your horses from you and wreck your chariots.

11 I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your fortresses.

12 I will remove sorceries from your hands, and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

13 I will remove your carved images and sacred pillars from you, so that you will not bow down again to the work of your hands.

14 I will pull up the Asherah poles from among you and demolish your cities.

15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath against the nations that have not obeyed [Me].