Now agather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops:

He hath laid bsiege against us:

cThey shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod cupon the cheek.

2  dBut thou, eBeth-lehem Ephratah,

Though thou be little among fthe thousands of gJudah,

Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be hruler in Israel;

Whose igoings forth have been kfrom of old, kfrom †everlasting.

3  Therefore will he give them up,

Until the time that lshe which travaileth hath brought forth:

Then mthe remnant of his brethren nshall return unto the children of Israel.

4  And khe shall stand and ||ofeed in the strength of the Lord,

In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God;

And they shall abide:

For now pqshall he be great unto rthe ends of the earth.

5  And psthis man shall be the peace,

tWhen the Assyrian shall come into our land:

And when he shall tread in our palaces,

Then shall uwe raise against him vseven wxshepherds,

And veight †wprincipal men.