Micah 5:3-5

5:3 So the Lord ¹  will hand the people of Israel ²  over to their enemies ³ 

until the time when the woman in labor ⁴  gives birth. ⁵ 

Then the rest of the king’s ⁶  countrymen will return

to be reunited with the people of Israel. ⁷ 

5:4 He will assume his post ⁸  and shepherd the people ⁹  by the Lord’s strength,

by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. ¹⁰ 

They will live securely, ¹¹  for at that time he will be honored ¹² 

even in the distant regions of ¹³  the earth.

5:5 He will give us peace. ¹⁴ 

Should the Assyrians try to invade our land

and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, ¹⁵ 

we will send ¹⁶  against them seven ¹⁷  shepherd-rulers, ¹⁸ 

make that eight commanders. ¹⁹ 

[5:3]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ² tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people of Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

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

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

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

[5:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “to the sons of Israel.” The words “be reunited with” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”

[5:4]  ⁹ tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”

[5:4]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “be great.”

[5:4]  ¹³ tn Or “to the ends of.”

[5:5]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).

[5:5]  ¹⁶ tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).

[5:5]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “raise up.”

[5:5]  ¹⁸ sn 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]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “shepherds.”

[5:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”