Micah 5:1–5
A Ruler Will Come From Bethlehem
5 Jerusalem, you are being attacked
So bring your troops together.
Our enemies have surrounded us.
They want to slap the face of Israel’s ruler.
“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.
3 The Lord will hand his people over to their enemies.
That will last until the promised ruler is born.
Then his relatives in Judah
will return to their land.
The Lord will rule over them
and the people of Israel.
4 The promised ruler will stand firm
and take care of his flock.
The Lord will give him the strength to do it.
The Lord his God will give him
the authority to rule.
His people will live safely.
His greatness will reach
from one end of the earth to the other.
5 And he will bring them peace.
The Lord Will Save His People From Their Enemies
The Assyrians will attack our land.
Enemies will march through our forts.
But we will raise up many shepherds against them.
We’ll send out against them
as many leaders as we need to.