1 People of Jerusalem, gather your forces! We are besieged! They are attacking the leader of Israel!
God Promises a Ruler from Bethlehem
2 The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.”
3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their enemies until the woman who is to give birth has her son. Then those Israelites who are in exile will be reunited with their own people. 4 When he comes, he will rule his people with the strength that comes from the Lord and with the majesty of the Lord God himself. His people will live in safety because people all over the earth will acknowledge his greatness, 5 and he will bring peace.
Deliverance and Punishment
When the Assyrians invade our country and break through our defenses, we will send our strongest leaders to fight them. 6 By force of arms they will conquer Assyria, the land of Nimrod, and they will save us from the Assyrians when they invade our territory.
7 The people of Israel who survive will be like refreshing dew sent by the Lord for many nations, like showers on growing plants. They will depend on God, not people. 8 Those who are left among the nations will be like a lion hunting for food in a forest or a pasture: it gets in among the sheep, pounces on them, and tears them to pieces—and there is no hope of rescue. 9 Israel will conquer her enemies and destroy them all.
10 The Lord says, “At that time I will take away your horses and destroy your chariots. 11 I will destroy the cities in your land and tear down all your defenses. 12 I will destroy the magic charms you use and leave you without any fortunetellers. 13 I will destroy your idols and sacred stone pillars; no longer will you worship the things that you yourselves have made. 14 I will pull down the images of the goddess Asherah in your land and destroy your cities. 15 And in my great anger I will take revenge on all nations that have not obeyed me.”
1 Nowe assemble thy garisons, O daughter of garisons: he hath layed siege against vs: they shall smite the iudge of Israel with a rod vpon the cheeke. 2 And thou Beth-leem Ephrathah art litle to bee among the thousandes of Iudah, yet out of thee shall he come forth vnto me, that shalbe the ruler in Israel: whose goings forth haue bene from the beginning and from euerlasting. 3 Therefore will he giue them vp, vntill the time that shee which shall beare, shall trauaile: then the remnant of their brethren shall returne vnto the children of Israel. 4 And he shall stand, and feed in the strength of the Lord, and in the maiestie of the Name of the Lord his God, and they shall dwel still: for now shall he be magnified vnto the ends of the world. 5 And hee shall be our peace when Asshur shall come into our lande: when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seuen shepheardes, and eight principall men. 6 And they shall destroy Asshur with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with their swordes: thus shall he deliuer vs from Asshur, when hee commeth into our lande, and when he shall tread within our borders. 7 And the remnant of Iaakob shalbe among many people, as a dewe from the Lord, and as the showres vpon the grasse, that waiteth not for man, nor hopeth in the sonnes of Adam. 8 And the remnant of Iaakob shalbe among the Gentiles in the middes of many people, as the lyon among the beastes of the forest, and as the lyons whelpe among the flockes of sheepe, who when he goeth thorow, treadeth downe and teareth in pieces, and none can deliuer. 9 Thine hand shall bee lift vp vpon thine aduersaries, and all thine enemies shalbe cut off. 10 And it shall come to passe in that day, sayth the Lord, that I will cut off thine horses out of the middes of thee, and I will destroy thy charets. 11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and ouerthrowe all thy strong holdes. 12 And I will cut off thine enchanters out of thine hande: and thou shalt haue no more southsayers. 13 Thine idoles also will I cut off, and thine images out of the middes of thee: and thou shalt no more worship the woorke of thine hands. 14 And I wil plucke vp thy groues out of the middes of thee: so will I destroy thine enemies. 15 And I will execute a vegeance in my wrath and indignation vpon the heathen, which they haue not heard.