Micah 5

Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

1Get your soldiers ready, city of soldiers. Enemies have come and surrounded the city. They will hit Israel's ruler on the cheek with a stick.

Note"Daughter of troops" is a name for the city that is under attack. Hitting someone on the cheek with a stick was a way to shame that person.

2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

2But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, are only a small town in Judah. Still, a ruler for Israel will come out of you for me. He comes from long ago, from days without beginning.

NoteEphratah is another name for the area around Bethlehem. The KJV word "thousands" means family groups, or clans, not the number.

3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

3So God will leave his people alone for a while. It will last until the woman having a baby gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will come back to the people of Israel.

4And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

4He will stand and care for his people the way a shepherd cares for sheep. He will do it with the LORD's strength and his great name. His people will live safely. He will be great everywhere on earth.

5And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

5He will be our peace. The army of Assyria will come into our land. It will walk through our strong houses. Then we will send out seven shepherds against them, even eight leaders.

Note"Seven shepherds, and eight leaders" is an old way of saying "more than enough leaders."

6And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

6Those leaders will rule the land of Assyria with swords. That land is also called the land of Nimrod. So he will save us when Assyria comes into our land and crosses our borders.

7And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

7The people of Jacob who are left will live among many nations. They will be like dew from the LORD, like rain on the grass. Dew and rain do not wait for anyone to send them.

8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

8Those people will also be like a lion among the wild animals of the woods. They will be like a young lion walking among sheep. It knocks them down and tears them, and no one can save them.

9Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

9You will raise your hand over the people who fight you. All your enemies will be taken away.

10And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

10The LORD says, "On that day I will take your horses away from you. I will smash your chariots, the carts that soldiers ride into battle.

11And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:

11I will take away the cities in your land. I will pull down all your strong walls.

12And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:

12I will stop the magic spells you do. You will not have any fortune-tellers, people who claim to know what will happen.

13Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

13I will get rid of your carved statues and your standing stones. You will not bow down to things your own hands made.

14And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

14I will pull up the worship poles that stand among you. I will destroy your cities.

NoteThe KJV word "groves" means wooden poles that people set up to worship a goddess named Asherah. It does not mean groups of trees.

15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

15I will punish the nations that did not listen to me. I will do it in great anger.