The Ruler Will Come from Bethlehem

1“[†]Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;

[†]They have laid siege against us;

With a rod they will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.

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 everlasting,

From the ancient days.”

3Therefore He will give them up until the time

When she who is in childbirth has borne a child.

Then the remainder of His brothers

Will return to the sons of Israel.

4And He will stand and shepherd His flock

In the strength of Yahweh,

In the majesty of the name of Yahweh His God.

And they will [†]remain

Because [†]at that time He will be great

To the ends of the earth.

5And this One will be peace.

When the Assyrian enters our land,

When he treads on our [†]citadels,

Then we will raise against him

Seven shepherds and eight princes of men.

6And they will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

The land of Nimrod at its entrances;

And He will deliver us from the Assyrian

When he enters our land

And when he treads within our borders.

7Then the remnant of Jacob

Will be among many peoples

Like dew from Yahweh,

Like showers on vegetation

Which do not hope for man

Or wait for the sons of men.

8Then the remnant of Jacob

Will be among the nations,

Among many peoples

Like a lion among the beasts of the forest,

Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

Which, if it passes through,

Tramples down and tears,

And there is none to deliver.

9Your hand will be raised up against your adversaries,

And all your enemies will be cut off.

10“And it will be in that day,” declares Yahweh,

“That I will cut off your horses from among you

And destroy your chariots.

11And I will cut off the cities of your land

And pull down all your fortifications.

12And I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

And you will have soothsaying no more.

13And I will cut off your graven images

And your sacred pillars from among you

So that you will no longer worship

The work of your hands.

14And I will uproot your [†]Asherim from among you

And [†]eradicate your cities.

15And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath

On the nations which have not [†]listened.”