From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

5 t Now, daughter who is under attack,

you slash yourself in grief;

a siege is set against us!

They are striking the judge u of Israel

on the cheek with a rod.

2 v Bethlehem Ephrathah, w

you are small among the clans of Judah;

One will come from you x

to be ruler over Israel for Me. y

His origin z is from antiquity, a

from eternity. b

3 Therefore, He will abandon them c until the time

when she who is in labor d has given birth;

then the rest of His brothers e will return

to the people of Israel. f

4 He will stand and shepherd them g

in the strength of * Yahweh,

in the majestic name of Yahweh His God.

They will live securely,

for then His greatness will extend

to the ends of the earth. h

5 He will be their peace. i

When Assyria invades our land, j

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherd k the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod l with a drawn blade. m

So He will rescue us n from Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.

The Glorious and Purified Remnant

7 Then the remnant of Jacob o

will be among many peoples

like dew from the Lord, p

like showers on the grass, q

which do not wait for anyone

or linger for * mankind.

8 Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among the nations, among many peoples,

like a lion among animals of the forest, r

like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

which tramples s and tears t as it passes through,

and there is no one to rescue them. u

9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, v

and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 In that day—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

I will remove your horses from you w

and wreck your chariots.

11 I will remove the cities of your land x

and tear down all your fortresses. y

12 I will remove sorceries from your hands, z

and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

13 I will remove your carved images a

and sacred pillars from you

so that you will not bow down again

to the work of your hands.

14 I will pull up the * Asherah poles b from among you c

and demolish your cities. d

15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath e

against the nations that have not obeyed Me.