MIḴAH 5

1 Now you are raided, O daughter of raiders, a siege has been laid against us. They strike the Judge of Yisra’ĕl with a rod on the cheek.

2 But you, Bĕyth Leḥem Ephrathah, you who are little among the clans of Yahuḏah, out of you shall come forth to Me the One to become Ruler in Yisra’ĕl. And His comings forth are of old, from everlasting.”

3 Therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she who is in labour has given birth, and the remnant of His brothers return to the children of Yisra’ĕl.

4 And He shall stand and shepherd in the strength of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, in the excellency of the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 His Elohim. And they shall dwell, for at that time He shall be great, to the ends of the earth.

5 And this shall be peace. When Ashshur comes into our land, and when he treads in our palaces, we shall raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

6 And they shall shepherd the land of Ashshur with the sword, and the land of Nimroḏ at its entrances. And He shall deliver us from Ashshur, when he comes into our land and when he treads within our borders.

7 And the remnant of Ya’aqoḇ shall be in the midst of many peoples, as dew from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, as showers on the grass, which do not wait for man nor delay for the sons of men.

8 And the remnant of Ya’aqoḇ shall be among the gentiles, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of a forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who, if he passes through, shall both tread down and shall tear, and there is no one to deliver.

9 Let your hand be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies be cutoff.

10 “And it shall be in that day,” declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “that I shall cut off your horses out of your midst, and I shall destroy your chariots.

11 “And I shall cut off the cities of your land, and I shall pull down all your strongholds.

12 “And I shall cut off witchcrafts out of your hand, and let you have no magicians.

13 “And I shall cut off your carved images, and your pillars from your midst, so that you no longer bow down to the work of your hands.

14 “And I shall pluck your Ashĕrim out of your midst, and I shall destroy your cities.

15 “And I shall take vengeance in wrath and rage on the gentiles who did not obey.”