Micah
Chapter 5
1 Get ready for battle, people of the city; we are under attack. They will strike the leader of Israel on the face with a stick.
2 Though you, Bethlehem Ephratah, are small among the clans of Judah, from you will come for me a ruler over Israel, whose origins are from long ago, from ancient times.
3 So he will let them go until the woman in labor gives birth; then, the rest of his brothers will come back to the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and take care of the sheep with God’s power, in the greatness of God’s name; and they will live safely, because he will be honored everywhere on earth.
5 This man will bring peace when the Assyrian invades our land; and if he marches into our palaces, we will fight against him with seven leaders and eight top officials.
6 They will destroy Assyria’s land with the sword, and Nimrod’s land at its borders: so he will save us from the Assyrian when he enters our land and walks inside our borders.
7 Jacob’s remaining people will be among many, like dew from God, like rain on the grass, not depending on anyone or waiting for humans.
8 The remaining people of Jacob will live among the nations, with many people, like a lion among the forest animals, like a young lion among sheep. He will pass through, trample, and tear apart, and no one can rescue.
9 Your hand will rise against your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 On that day, God says, I will take away your horses and destroy your chariots.
11 I will destroy the cities in your land and knock down all your fortresses.
12 I will remove witchcraft from your hands, and you will no longer have fortune-tellers.
13 I will destroy your idols and images from among you; you will no longer worship what your hands have made.
14 I will pull out your worship places from among you and I will destroy your cities.
15 I will carry out punishment with angry fury on the nations, the likes of which they have never heard.