Micah 5 :: Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Bethlehem Ephrathah,

you are small among the clans of Judah;

one will come from you

to be ruler over Israel for me.

His origin[fn] is from antiquity,

from ancient times.

Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time

when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return

to the people of Israel.

He will stand and shepherd them

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.

He will be their peace.

When Assyria invades our land,

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.[fn]

So he will rescue us from Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.

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.

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.

Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,

and all your enemies will be destroyed.

In that day —

this is the LORD’s declaration —

I will remove your horses from you

and wreck your chariots.

I will remove the cities of your land

and tear down all your fortresses.

I will remove sorceries from your hands,

and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

I will remove your carved images

and sacred pillars from you

so that you will no longer worship

the work of your hands.

I will pull up the Asherah poles from among you

and demolish your cities.[fn]

I will take vengeance in anger and wrath

against the nations that have not obeyed me.