CHAPTER 5
Now,
O daughter
of troops,
marshal your troops;
for a siege
is laid
against us!
With a rod
they will strike
on
the cheek
the judge
of Israel.
But you,
Bethlehem
Ephrathah,
who are
small
among the clans
of Judah,
out of you
will come forth
for Me
One to be
ruler
over Israel,
whose origins
are of old,
from the days
of eternity.
Therefore
Israel will be abandoned
until
she who is in labor
has given birth;
then the rest
of His brothers
will return
to
the children
of Israel.
He will stand
and shepherd His flock
in the strength
of the LORD,
in the majestic
name
of the LORD
His God.
And they will dwell securely,
for
then
His greatness will extend
to
the ends
of the earth.
And He
will be
their peace.
When
Assyria
invades
our land
and
tramples
our citadels,
we will raise
against it
seven
shepherds,
even eight
leaders
of men.
And they will rule
the land
of Assyria
with the sword,
and
the land
of Nimrod
with the blade drawn.
So He will deliver us
when
Assyria
invades
our land,
and
tramples
our citadels.
Then the remnant
of Jacob
will be
in the midst
of many
peoples
like dew
from
the LORD,
like showers
on
the grass,
which
do not
wait
for man
or
linger
for mankind.
Then the remnant
of Jacob
will be
among the nations,
in the midst
of many
peoples,
like a lion
among the beasts
of the forest,
like a young lion
among flocks
of sheep,
which
tramples
and tears
as
it passes through,
with no
one to rescue them.
“In that
day,”
declares
the LORD,
“I will remove
your horses
from among you
and wreck
your chariots.
I will also cut off
the carved images
and sacred pillars
from among you,
so that you will no
longer
bow down
to the work
of your own hands.