FROM DEFEATED RULER TO CONQUERING KING

5 Now, daughter who is under attack,

you slash yourself in grief;

a siege is set against us!

They are striking the judgeg of Israel

on the cheek with a rod.

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,h

you are small among the clans of Judah;

one will come from youi

to be ruler over Israel for me.j

His originB is from antiquity,k

from ancient times.

3 Therefore, Israel will be abandonedl until the time

when she who is in laborm has given birth;

then the rest of the ruler’s brothersn will return

to the people of Israel.o

4 He will stand and shepherd themp

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.q

5 He will be their peace.r

When Assyria invades our land,s

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherdt the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrodu with a drawn blade.C

So he will rescue usv from Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.