1NOW you shall go forth in a raid, O daughter of mighty raiders, for they have risen against us and have smitten the shepherd of Israel with a rod upon his cheek.

2And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of towns of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth a ruler to govern Israel; whose goings forth have been predicted from of old, from eternity.

3Henceforth he will deliver them, until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the remnant of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel.

4And he shall arise and rule in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and the people shall return; for now his dominion shall extend to the ends of the earth.

5And there shall be peace when the Assyrian shall come to invade our country, and shall tread in our palaces; then we will raise up against him seven rulers and eight princes of men.

6And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with their anger; thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, that he may not come to our land, and that he may not tread within our borders.

7And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many nations like the dew from the LORD, like the showers upon the grass, which tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many nations as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, when he selects his prey, cuts and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.

9Your hand shall be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies shall perish.

10And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will destroy your horses from the midst of you, and will do away with your chariots;

11And I will lay waste the towns of your land, and demolish all your strongholds.

12And I will destroy the magicians from within your reach; and you shall have no more soothsayers;

13And I will destroy your graven images and your high places from the midst of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.

14And I will destroy your groves from the midst of you; and I will lay waste your cities.

15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations that did not obey.