Eternal Ruler from Bethlehem
5 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah[a]—
least among the clans of Judah—
from you will come out to Me
One to be ruler in Israel,
One whose goings forth are from of old,
from days of eternity.
2 Therefore He will give them up
until the time when she who is in labor has given birth.
Then the remnant of His brothers
will return to Bnei-Yisrael.
3 So He will arise and tend His flock
with the strength of Adonai—
in the majesty of the Name of Adonai His God.
And they will live securely,
for then He will be great to the ends of the earth.
4 This One will be shalom.[b]
When Assyria invades our land
when he treads on our citadels,
then we will raise up against him seven shepherds
and eight human princes.
5 They will devastate the land of Assyria with the sword—
even Nimrod’s land with a drawn blade.[c]
He will deliver us from Assyria,
when he invades our land,
when he tramples on our territory.
The Remnant of Jacob
6 Now the remnant of Jacob will be
in the midst of many peoples,
like dew from Adonai,
like abundant showers on grass
that does not wait for a man,
nor lingers for the sons of men.
7 For the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the forest beasts,
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
who, if he passed through, would trample and tear to pieces,
and there would be no deliverer.
8 May your hand be raised up against your adversaries,
and may all your foes be cut off.
9 “Now in that day”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“I will cut off your horses among you,
and I will destroy your chariots.
10 I will cut off the cities of your land,
and throw down all your strongholds.
11 I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you will have no more diviners.
12 I will cut off your carved images
and your sacred pillars from among you,
so you will no longer bow down
to the work of your hands.
13 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you,
and destroy your cities.
14 So I will execute vengeance in anger
and wrath on the nations that have not listened.