Loading…
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.
6 They will use their swords to rule over Assyria.
They’ll rule the land of Nimrod
with swords that are ready to strike.
The Assyrians will march across our borders
and attack our land.
But the promised ruler will save us from them.
7 Jacob’s people who are still left alive
will be scattered among many nations.
They will be like dew the Lord has sent.
It doesn’t wait for a man’s command.
They will be like rain that falls on the grass.
Rain doesn’t wait for someone to give it orders.
8 So Jacob’s people will be scattered
among many nations.
They will be like a lion
among the animals in the forest.
They’ll be like a young lion
among flocks of sheep.
Lions attack and tear as they move along.
No one can keep them
from killing what they want.
9 Lord, your powerful hand will win the battle
over your enemies.
All of them will be destroyed.
10 “At that time I will destroy
your war horses,” announces the Lord.
“I will smash your chariots.
11 I will destroy the cities in your land.
I will tear down all of your forts.
12 I will destroy your worship of evil powers.
You will no longer be able
to put a spell on anyone.
13 I will destroy the statues of your gods.
I will take your sacred stones away from you.
You will no longer bow down
to the gods your hands have made.
14 I will pull down the poles you used
to worship the goddess Asherah.
And I will destroy your cities completely.
15 I will pay back the nations
that have not obeyed me.
My anger will burn against them.”
|
About New International Reader’s Version (1998)The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) was developed to help early readers understand the Bible. Begun in 1992, the NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV). The NIrV uses shorter words and sentences so that those with a typical fourth grade reading level can comprehend what they are reading. The chapters have been separated into shorter sections and most have titles that clearly indicate what the section is all about. The NIrV will be a valuable translation to those for whom English is a second language. The NIrV still relies on the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for its translation, guaranteeing that those who read it are getting the actual Word of God. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. The NIrV text may be quoted for non-commercial usage in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows: Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. When quotations from the NIrV text are used in non-saleable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, transparencies or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials (NIrV) must appear at the end of each quotation. Any commentary or other Biblical reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New International Reader’s Version must obtain written permission for use of the NIrV text. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.S. and Canada that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.K., EEC, and EFTA countries that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Hodder Headline Plc., 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, England. Permission requests for non-commercial usage that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. |
| Support Info | nirv |