Micah 7:14

7:14 Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod, ¹ 

the flock that belongs to you, ² 

the one that lives alone in a thicket,

in the midst of a pastureland. ³ 

Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, ⁴ 

as they did in the old days. ⁵ 

Micah 5:4-5

5:4 He will assume his post ⁶  and shepherd the people ⁷  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 honored ¹⁰ 

even in the distant regions of ¹¹  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 send ¹⁴  against them seven ¹⁵  shepherd-rulers, ¹⁶ 

make that eight commanders. ¹⁷ 

[7:14]  ¹ tn Or “with your scepter” (the Hebrew term can mean either “rod” or “scepter”).

[7:14]  ² tn Heb “the flock of your inheritance.”

[7:14]  ³ tn Or “in the midst of Carmel.” The Hebrew term translated “pastureland” may be a place name.

[7:14]  ⁴ sn The regions of Bashan and Gilead, located in Transjordan, were noted for their rich grazing lands.

[7:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “as in the days of antiquity.”

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

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

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

[5:4]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “be great.”

[5:4]  ¹¹ tn Or “to the ends of.”

[5:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).

[5:5]  ¹² tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).

[5:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “raise up.”

[5:5]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “shepherds.”

[5:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”