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Micah 5
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| 5:1
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege
against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. |
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| 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem
Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of
thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings
forth have been from of old, from everlasting. |
The gospel of Matthew (2:5-6) claims that Jesus'
birth in Bethlehem fulfils this prophecy. But this is unlikely since
- "Bethlehem Ephratah" in Micah 5:2 refers not to a town, but to a
clan: the clan of Bethlehem, who was the son of Caleb's second wife,
Ephrathah (1 Chr.2:18, 2:50-52, 4:4).
- The prophecy (if that is what it is) does not refer to the Messiah, but
rather to a military leader, as can be seen from verse 5:6.
This leader is supposed to defeat the Assyrians, which, of course, Jesus
never did.
It should also be noted that Matthew altered the text of Micah 5:2 by saying:
"And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda" rather than "Bethlehem
Ephratah" as is said in Micah 5:2. He did this, intentionally no doubt, to
make the verse appear to refer to the town of Bethlehem rather than the family
clan.
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| 5:3
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth
hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the
children of Israel.
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| 5:4
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of
the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be
great unto the ends of the earth.
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| 5:5
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our
land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against
him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
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| 5:6
And they shall waste the
land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances
thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our
land, and when he treadeth within our borders. |
"They shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword."
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| 5:7
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew
from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor
waiteth for the sons of men. |
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| 5:8
And the remnant of
Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion
among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep:
who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and
none can deliver. |
Like a young lion "the remnant of Jacob" will tear the Gentiles to pieces.
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| 5:9
Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine
enemies shall be cut off. |
"Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine
enemies shall be cut off."
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| 5:10
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off
thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: |
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| 5:11
And I will cut off the
cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds: |
(5:11-12)
God will "cut off" the witches and soothsayers.
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| 5:12
And I will cut off
witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more
soothsayers: |
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| 5:13
Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the
midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. |
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| 5:14
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy
cities. |
(5:14-15)
God will destroy entire cities, and "execute vengeance in anger and fury
upon the heathen such as they have not heard."
Does God get furious?
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| 5:15
And I will execute
vengeance in anger and fury
upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
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