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So, strong city, gather your soldiers together.
    We are surrounded and attacked.
The enemy will swing his club.
    He will hit the leader of Israel in the face.

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    are one of the smallest towns in Judah.
But from you will come one who will rule Israel for me.
    He comes from very old times,
    from days long ago.”
The Lord will leave his people in Babylon
    until Jerusalem, who is in labor, gives birth to her children.
Then his brothers who are in captivity will return.
    They will come back to the people of Israel living in Judah.

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A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

[a]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek(A) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(B) Ephrathah,(C)
    though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(D) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(E)
    from ancient times.”(F)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(G)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14.
  2. Micah 5:2 Or rulers