Micah 5:7-15

5:7 Those survivors from ¹  Jacob will live ² 

in the midst of many nations. ³ 

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. ⁴ 

5:8 Those survivors from Jacob will live among the nations,

in the midst of many peoples.

They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest,

like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,

which attacks when it passes through;

it rips its prey ⁵  and there is no one to stop it. ⁶ 

5:9 Lift your hand triumphantly against your adversaries; ⁷ 

may all your enemies be destroyed! ⁸ 

The Lord Will Purify His People

5:10 “In that day,” says the Lord,

“I will destroy ⁹  your horses from your midst,

and smash your chariots.

5:11 I will destroy the cities of your land,

and tear down all your fortresses.

5:12 I will remove the sorcery ¹⁰  that you practice, ¹¹ 

and you will no longer have omen readers living among you. ¹² 

5:13 I will remove your idols and sacred pillars from your midst;

you will no longer worship what your own hands made.

5:14 I will uproot your images of Asherah ¹³  from your midst,

and destroy your idols. ¹⁴ 

5:15 I will angrily seek vengeance

on the nations that do not obey me.” ¹⁵ 

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).

[5:7]  ² tn Heb “will be.”

[5:7]  ³ tn This could mean “(scattered) among the nations” (cf. CEV, NLT) or “surrounded by many nations” (cf. NRSV).

[5:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”

[5:8]  ⁵ tn The words “its prey” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “and there is no deliverer.”

[5:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “let your hand be lifted against your adversaries.”

[5:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “be cut off.”

[5:10]  ¹³ tn Heb “cut off” (also in the following verse).

[5:12]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “magic charms” (so NCV, TEV); NIV, NLT “witchcraft”; NAB “the means of divination.” The precise meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain, but note its use in Isa 47:9, 12.

[5:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “from your hands.”

[5:12]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and you will not have omen-readers.”

[5:14]  ²¹ tn Or “Asherah poles.”

[5:14]  ²² tn The MT reads “your cities,” but many emend the text to צִרֶיךָ (tsirekha, “your images”) or עֲצַבֶּיךָ (’atsbbekha, “your idols”).

[5:15]  ²⁵ tn Heb “I will accomplish in anger and in rage, vengeance on the nations who do not listen.”