Micah 4:7-8

4:7 I will transform the lame into the nucleus of a new nation, ¹ 

and those far off ²  into a mighty nation.

The Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion,

from that day forward and forevermore.” ³ 

4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, ⁴ 

fortress of Daughter Zion ⁵  –

your former dominion will be restored, ⁶ 

the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.

Micah 5:3-4

5:3 So the Lord ⁷  will hand the people of Israel ⁸  over to their enemies ⁹ 

until the time when the woman in labor ¹⁰  gives birth. ¹¹ 

Then the rest of the king’s ¹²  countrymen will return

to be reunited with the people of Israel. ¹³ 

5:4 He will assume his post ¹⁴  and shepherd the people ¹⁵  by the Lord’s strength,

by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. ¹⁶ 

They will live securely, ¹⁷  for at that time he will be honored ¹⁸ 

even in the distant regions of ¹⁹  the earth.

Micah 7:9

7:9 I must endure ²⁰  the Lord’s anger,

for I have sinned against him.

But then ²¹  he will defend my cause, ²² 

and accomplish justice on my behalf.

He will lead me out into the light;

I will experience firsthand ²³  his deliverance. ²⁴ 

[4:7]  ¹ tn Heb “make the lame into a remnant.”

[4:7]  ² tn The precise meaning of this difficult form is uncertain. The present translation assumes the form is a Niphal participle of an otherwise unattested denominative verb הָלָא (hala’, “to be far off”; see BDB 229 s.v.), but attractive emendations include הַנַּחֲלָה (hannakhalah, “the sick one[s]”) from חָלָה (khalah) and הַנִּלְאָה (hannil’ah, “the weary one[s]”) from לָאָה (la’ah).

[4:7]  ³ tn Heb “from now until forever.”

[4:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “Migdal-eder.” Some English versions transliterate this phrase, apparently because they view it as a place name (cf. NAB).

[4:8]  ⁵ sn The city of David, located within Jerusalem, is addressed as Daughter Zion. As the home of the Davidic king, who was Israel’s shepherd (Ps 78:70-72), the royal citadel could be viewed metaphorically as the watchtower of the flock.

[4:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “to you it will come, the former dominion will arrive.”

[5:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people of Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ⁹ tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:3]  ¹⁰ sn The woman in labor. Personified, suffering Jerusalem is the referent. See 4:9-10.

[5:3]  ¹¹ sn Gives birth. The point of the figurative language is that Jerusalem finally finds relief from her suffering. See 4:10.

[5:3]  ¹² tn Heb “his”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “to the sons of Israel.” The words “be reunited with” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”

[5:4]  ¹¹ tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:4]  ¹² tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”

[5:4]  ¹³ tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps וְיָשָׁבוּ (vÿyashavu, “and they will live”) should be emended to וְשָׁבוּ (vÿshavu, “and they will return”).

[5:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “be great.”

[5:4]  ¹⁵ tn Or “to the ends of.”

[7:9]  ¹³ tn Heb “lift, bear.”

[7:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “until.”

[7:9]  ¹⁵ tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”

[7:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “see.”

[7:9]  ¹⁷ tn Or “justice, vindication.”