Micah 5:8-15

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 ¹  and there is no one to stop it. ² 

5:9 Lift your hand triumphantly against your adversaries; ³ 

may all your enemies be destroyed! ⁴ 

The Lord Will Purify His People

5:10 “In that day,” says the Lord,

“I will destroy ⁵  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 ⁶  that you practice, ⁷ 

and you will no longer have omen readers living among you. ⁸ 

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 ⁹  from your midst,

and destroy your idols. ¹⁰ 

5:15 I will angrily seek vengeance

on the nations that do not obey me.” ¹¹ 

[5:8]  ¹ tn The words “its prey” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:8]  ² tn Heb “and there is no deliverer.”

[5:9]  ³ tn Heb “let your hand be lifted against your adversaries.”

[5:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “be cut off.”

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

[5:12]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “from your hands.”

[5:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “and you will not have omen-readers.”

[5:14]  ⁹ tn Or “Asherah poles.”

[5:14]  ¹⁰ tn The MT reads “your cities,” but many emend the text to צִרֶיךָ (tsirekha, “your images”) or עֲצַבֶּיךָ (’atsbbekha, “your idols”).

[5:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I will accomplish in anger and in rage, vengeance on the nations who do not listen.”