1 N ow gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. The Coming Messiah

“Now gather yourselves into armies, people of Israel. They are all around us with their army. They will hit the judge of Israel on the face. God’s Chosen One Will Come from Bethlehem

2 “ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are too little to be among the family groups of Judah. But from you One will come who will rule for Me in Israel. His coming was planned long ago, from the beginning.”

3 T herefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.

He will give them up until the time when the woman in pain gives birth to a child. Then the rest of His brothers will return to the people of Israel.

4 A nd He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;

And He will come and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the great power of the name of the Lord His God. His people will live there and be safe, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.

5 A nd this One shall be peace. Judgment on Israel’s Enemies When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.

And He will be their peace. Those Who Fight Israel Are Judged When the Assyrian comes into our land and crushes under foot our strong-places, we will fight against him with seven shepherds and eight leaders.

6 T hey shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.

They will rule the land of Assyria, the land of Nimrod, with the sword. And He will take us from the Assyrians when they come into our country and crush under foot our land.

7 T hen the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men.

Then the people who are left of Jacob will be among many people like water on the ground in the early morning from the Lord, like rain on the grass, which does not wait for man.

8 A nd the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles, In the midst of many peoples, Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Who, if he passes through, Both treads down and tears in pieces, And none can deliver.

Those who are left of Jacob will be among the nations, among many people, like a lion among the animals in the woods, like a young lion among flocks of sheep. When he passes through, he crushes them and tears them to pieces, and there is no one to help them.

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

Your hand will be lifted up against those who hate you, and all of them will be destroyed.

10 “ And it shall be in that day,” says the Lord, “That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots.

“In that day,” says the Lord, “I will destroy your horses and your war-wagons from among you.

11 I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds.

I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strong-places.

12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers.

I will put an end to your witchcraft, and you will not have people telling your future any more.

13 Y our carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands;

I will destroy your false gods and your pillars of worship, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.

14 I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities.

I will pull up your wooden, female goddesses Asherah, and destroy your cities.

15 A nd I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard.”

And in My anger I will punish the nations that have not obeyed.”