1 “ 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

Now shalt thou gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us; they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

2 “ 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.”

But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

3 H e 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.

Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

4 A nd 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.

And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

5 A nd 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.

And this man shall be our peace. When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

6 T hey 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.

And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our border.

7 T hen 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.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from Jehovah, as showers upon the grass, that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

8 T hose 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.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and there is none to deliver.

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

Let thy hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off.

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

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and will destroy thy chariots:

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

and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and will throw down all thy strongholds.

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

And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:

13 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.

and I will cut off thy graven images and thy pillars out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands;

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

and I will pluck up thine Asherim out of the midst of thee; and I will destroy thy cities.

15 A nd in My anger I will punish the nations that have not obeyed.”

And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations which hearkened not.