1 “ Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.

Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod 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 long ago, From the days of eternity.”

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.

3 T herefore He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel.

Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.

4 A nd He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth.

He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

5 T his One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, When he tramples on our citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.

6 T hey 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 attacks our land And when he tramples our territory.

They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.

7 T hen the remnant of Jacob Will be among many peoples Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on vegetation Which do not wait for man Or delay for the sons of men.

The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

8 T he 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 he passes through, Tramples down and tears, And there is none to rescue.

The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.

9 Y our hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies will be cut off.

Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

10 “ It will be in that day,” declares the Lord, “ That I will cut off your horses from among you And destroy your chariots.

“It will happen in that day”, says Yahweh, “that I will cut off your horses out from among you, and will destroy your chariots.

11 “ I will also cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications.

I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.

12 “ I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more.

I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.

13 “ I will cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you, So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands.

I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out from among you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.

14 “ I will root out your Asherim from among you And destroy your cities.

I will uproot your Asherah poles out from among you; and I will destroy your cities.

15 “ And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed.”

I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”