Micah 4; Micah 5

1 In the last days the mountain on which the Lord's Temple stands will become the most important of all mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and people from other nations will come streaming to it.

2 Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob, so that he can teach us his ways, and we can obey his teachings." His teachings will go out from Jerusalem, the word of the Lord from that city.

3 The Lord will judge many nations; he will make decisions about strong nations that are far away. They will hammer their swords into plow blades and their spears into hooks for trimming trees. Nations will no longer raise swords against other nations; they will not train for war anymore.

4 Everyone will sit under his own vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, because the Lord All-Powerful has said it.

5 All other nations may follow their own gods, but we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.

6 The Lord says, "At that time, I will gather the crippled; I will bring together those who were sent away, those whom I caused to have trouble.

7 I will keep alive those who were crippled, and I will make a strong nation of those who were sent away. The Lord will be their king in Mount Zion from now on and forever.

8 And you, watchtower of the flocks, hill of Jerusalem, to you will come the kingdom as in the past. Jerusalem, the right to rule will come again to you."

9 Now, why do you cry so loudly? Is your king gone? Have you lost your helper, so that you are in pain, like a woman trying to give birth?

10 People of Jerusalem, strain and be in pain. Be like a woman trying to give birth, because now you must leave the city and live in the field. You will go to Babylon, but you will be saved from that place. and buy you back from your enemies.

11 But now many nations have come to fight against you, saying, "Let's destroy Jerusalem. We will look at her and be glad we have defeated her."

12 But they don't know what the Lord is thinking; they don't understand his plan. He has gathered them like bundles of grain to the threshing floor.

13 "Get up and beat them, people of Jerusalem. I will make you strong as if you had horns of iron and hoofs of bronze. You will beat many nations into small pieces and give their wealth to the Lord, their treasure to the Lord of all the earth."

1 So, strong city, gather your soldiers together, because we are surrounded and attacked. in the face with a club.

2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are too small to be among the army groups from Judah, from you will come one who will rule Israel for me. He comes from very old times, from days long ago."

3 The Lord will give up his people until the one who is having a baby gives birth; then the rest of his relatives will return to the people of Israel.

4 At that time the ruler of Israel will stand and take care of his people with the Lord's strength and with the power of the name of the Lord his God. The Israelites will live in safety, because his greatness will reach all over the earth.

5 He will bring peace. Assyria will surely come into our country and walk over our large buildings. We will set up seven shepherds, eight leaders of the people.

6 They will destroy the Assyrians with their swords; they will conquer the land of Assyria with their swords drawn. They will rescue us from the Assyrians when they come into our land, when they walk over our borders.

7 Then the people of Jacob who are left alive will be to other people like dew from the Lord or rain on the grass -- it does not wait for human beings; it does not pause for any person.

8 Those of Jacob's people who are left alive will be scattered among many nations and peoples. They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion in a flock of sheep: As it goes, it jumps on them and tears them to pieces, and no one can save them.

9 So you will raise your fist in victory over your enemies, and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 The Lord says, "At that time, I will take your horses from you and destroy your chariots.

11 I will destroy the cities in your country and tear down all your defenses.

12 I will take away the magic charms you use so you will have no more fortune-tellers.

13 I will destroy your statues of gods and the stone pillars you worship so that you will no longer worship what your hands have made.

14 I will tear down Asherah idols from you and destroy your cities.

15 In my anger and rage, I will pay back the nations that have not listened."