Micah 5:6-7

5:6 They will rule ¹  the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod ²  with a drawn sword. ³ 

Our king ⁴  will rescue us from the Assyrians

should they attempt to invade our land

and try to set foot in our territory.

5:7 Those survivors from ⁵  Jacob will live ⁶ 

in the midst of many nations. ⁷ 

They will be like the dew the Lord sends,

like the rain on the grass,

that does not hope for men to come

or wait around for humans to arrive. ⁸ 

[5:6]  ¹ tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”

[5:6]  ² sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.

[5:6]  ³ tc The MT reads “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to בַּפְּתִיחָה (baptikhah, “with a drawn sword”).

[5:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).

[5:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “will be.”

[5:7]  ⁷ tn This could mean “(scattered) among the nations” (cf. CEV, NLT) or “surrounded by many nations” (cf. NRSV).

[5:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”