From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King
1Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge f of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, g
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you h
to be ruler over Israel for me. i
His origin N is from antiquity, j
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned k until the time
when she who is in labor l has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers m will return
to the people of Israel. n
4 He will stand and shepherd them o
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth. p
5 He will be their peace. q
When Assyria invades our land, r
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will shepherd s the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod t with a drawn blade. O
So he will rescue us u from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.
The Glorious and Purified Remnant
will be among many peoples
like dew from the LORD, w
like showers on the grass, x
which do not wait for anyone
or linger for mankind.
will be among the nations, among many peoples,
like a lion among animals of the forest, y
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which tramples z and tears a as it passes through,
and there is no one to rescue them. b
9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, c
and all your enemies will be destroyed.
10 In that day—
this is the LORD’S declaration—
I will remove your horses from you d
and wreck your chariots.
11 I will remove the cities of your land e
and tear down all your fortresses. f
12 I will remove sorceries from your hands, g
and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.
13 I will remove your carved images h
and sacred pillars from you
so that you will no longer worship
the work of your hands.
14 I will pull up the Asherah poles i from among you j
and demolish your cities. P
15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath k
against the nations that have not obeyed me.