2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

though you are small among the clans of Judah,

out of you will come for me

one who will be ruler over Israel,

whose origins are from of old,

from ancient times.”

2  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

from ancient days.

2 But thou, Beth-lehem 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.

2  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

are only a small village among all the people of Judah.

Yet a ruler of Israel

whose origins are in the distant past,

will come from you on my behalf.

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting.”

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

though you are too small to be among the army groups from Judah,

from you will come one who will rule Israel for me.

He comes from very old times,

from days long ago.”

2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

2 (And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be Ruler in Israel: whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity.)

2 You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 

are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. 

Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. 

His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago. 

2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

too small to be among the clans of Judah,

from you one will go out for me,

to be ruler in Israel;

and his origins are from of old,

from ancient days.

2 The Lord says,

“Bethlehem, you might not be

an important town in the nation of Judah.

But out of you will come

a ruler over Israel for me.

His family line goes back

to the early years of your nation.

It goes all the way back

to days of long ago.”

Bethlehem was also called Ephrathah.

2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity.”