The Bible — World English Bible
Micah 5
In brief
Micah 5 is famous for its verse 2: from Bethlehem, a small town, will come the one who will rule over Israel, whose origin goes back to ancient times. The chapter opens with a siege and a humiliated judge, then announces a ruler who will govern in the strength of the Lord and bring peace. It describes the remnant of Jacob, like dew and like a lion among the nations, and ends with the removal of idols and false securities. Christians read in it the announcement of the Messiah.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
3Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
4He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
5He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
6They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.
7The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.
8The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.
9Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.
10“It will happen in that day”, says Yahweh, “that I will cut off your horses out from among you, and will destroy your chariots.
11I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.
12I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.
13I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out from among you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14I will uproot your Asherah poles out from among you; and I will destroy your cities.
15I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”
Key verses
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
The prophecy names Bethlehem, small among the clans of Judah, and announces a ruler of ancient origin. The scribes quote it to Herod in Matthew 2, and Christians see in it the birth of Jesus.
He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
This ruler governs in the strength of the name of the Lord. His power is not that of a human king: it comes from God, and his greatness reaches to the ends of the earth.
He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
“He will be our peace”: the promised ruler is also the one who brings peace, even in the face of a threat like Assyria. The verse prepares the way for the title Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9.
The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.
The remnant of Jacob is compared to the dew from the Lord, which does not depend on people. The image suggests a quiet presence that refreshes, coming from God alone.
“It will happen in that day”, says Yahweh, “that I will cut off your horses out from among you, and will destroy your chariots. I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds. I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers. I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out from among you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
God announces that he will remove horses, chariots, strongholds and idols. The people learn to stop relying on their military strength or on their idols, and to trust in God alone.
Bible verses to meditate on
Test your knowledge
Characters in this chapter
Pray about this
What the sermons say
Frequently asked questions about Micah 5
What does Micah 5:2 prophesy?
The verse announces that from Bethlehem Ephrathah, small among the clans of Judah, a ruler for Israel will come, whose origin goes back to ancient times. The scribes quote it to Herod when the magi look for the king of the Jews (Matthew 2). Christians see in it the announcement of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Why is Micah 5 read at Christmas?
Because verse 2 names Bethlehem as the place of origin of the coming ruler, and the Gospel of Matthew connects it to the birth of Jesus. The chapter also says that this ruler will bring peace and will govern in the strength of the Lord, which fits the message of Christmas.
What is the message of Micah 5?
God is not limited to the great of this world: he chooses a small village for the birth of the one who will bring peace. The chapter also invites us to stop trusting in strength, chariots, idols or false securities, and to trust in the Lord, who protects his people and brings them back to himself.
Articles quoting Micah 5
World English Bible translation — public domain.