Micah 5:2

Context

A King Will Come and a Remnant Will Prosper

5:2 (5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,¹

seemingly insignificant² among the clans of Judah –

from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf,³

one whose origins⁴ are in the distant past.⁵

Micah 5:4-5

Context

5:4 He will assume his post⁶ and shepherd the people⁷ by the Lord’s strength,

by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God.⁸

They will live securely,⁹ for at that time he will be honored¹⁰

even in the distant regions of¹¹ the earth.

5:5 He will give us peace.¹²

Should the Assyrians try to invade our land

and attempt to set foot in our fortresses,¹³

we will send¹⁴ against them seven¹⁵ shepherd-rulers,¹⁶

make that eight commanders.¹⁷

[5:2] ¹sn Ephrathah is either an alternate name for Bethlehem or the name of the district in which Bethlehem was located. See Ruth 4:11.

[5:2] ²tn Heb “being small.” Some omit לִהְיוֹת (lihyot, “being”) because it fits awkwardly and appears again in the next line.

[5:2] ³tn Heb “from you for me one will go out to be a ruler over Israel.”

[5:2] ⁴tn Heb “his goings out.” The term may refer to the ruler’s origins (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) or to his activities.

[5:2] ⁵tn Heb “from the past, from the days of antiquity.” Elsewhere both phrases refer to the early periods in the history of the world or of the nation of Israel. For מִקֶּדֶם (miqqedem, “from the past”) see Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10. For מִימֵי עוֹלָם (mimey ’olam, “from the days of antiquity”) see Isa 63:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mic 7:14; Mal 3:4. In Neh 12:46 and Amos 9:11 the Davidic era is in view.

[5:4] ⁶tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”

[5:4] ⁷tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:4] ⁸tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”

[5:4] ⁹tn 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] ¹⁰tn Heb “be great.”

[5:4] ¹¹tn Or “to the ends of.”

[5:5] ¹²tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).

[5:5] ¹³tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).

[5:5] ¹⁴tn Heb “raise up.”

[5:5] ¹⁵sn The numbers seven and eight here symbolize completeness and emphasize that Israel will have more than enough military leadership and strength to withstand the Assyrian advance.

[5:5] ¹⁶tn Heb “shepherds.”

[5:5] ¹⁷tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”