Micah 5
The full text of Micah 5 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew. Free to read.
1 Now marshal your troops, O daughter of troops!
A siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
upon the cheek.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too small to be among the clans of Judah—
from you will come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient days.
3 Therefore he will give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth.
Then the rest of his brothers
will return to the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and shepherd in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will dwell securely,
for now he will be great
to the ends of the earth.
5 And this one will be peace.
When Assyria comes into our land
and treads upon our palaces,
we will raise against him seven shepherds
and eight princes of men.
6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod at its entrances.
He will deliver us from Assyria
when it comes into our land
and treads within our border.
7 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 a man
and do not delay for the children of Adam.
8 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, when it passes through, treads down and tears,
and there is no one to deliver.
9 Your hand will be lifted up over your adversaries,
and all your enemies will be cut off.
10 On that day—declares the LORD—
I will cut off your horses from among you
and destroy your chariots.
11 I will cut off the cities of your land
and tear down all your fortresses.
12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you will have no more diviners.
13 I will cut off your carved images
and your sacred pillars from among you,
and you will no longer bow down
to the work of your hands.
14 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you
and destroy your cities.
15 In anger and wrath I will execute vengeance
on the nations that have not obeyed.
Translation notes (7)
- Micah 5:1a This is Hebrew 4:14 in the standard Hebrew text's versification. It is a transitional verse linking the siege described in chapter 4 to the ruler in chapter 5.
- Micah 5:2a The Hebrew phrase 'motsa'otayw miqqedem mimey olam' literally means 'his goings forth from before, from days of antiquity.' This phrase is ambiguous, referring either to dynastic antiquity or to pre-existence.
- Micah 5:2b Cited in Matt 2:6. Ephrathah identifies the Judean Bethlehem (cf. Ruth 4:11)
- Micah 5:3a Identity of 'she who is in labor' debated: Zion personified, or a specific mother (cf. Isa 7:14)
- Micah 5:5a The Hebrew phrase 'wehayah zeh shalom' means 'this one will be peace,' where 'this one' refers to the ruler from verse 2. The numbers 'seven' and 'eight' are used here as a formula for completeness.
- Micah 5:6a Nimrod = Mesopotamia (cf. Gen 10:8-12). 'At its entrances' or 'with drawn swords'
- Micah 5:14a This can also be translated as 'your idols.' The Hebrew word 'areyka' could mean 'your cities' or be emended, meaning changed, to 'your enemies.'
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is Trinity Bible's own translation of Scripture, made directly from the original Hebrew rather than revised from an older English Bible. Completed in 2026, it is the most modern English Bible translation available, and it is exclusive to Trinity Bible. Reading the TBV here on the web is free — the full study edition, with original-language tools and notes on every verse, lives in the Trinity Bible app.
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