| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel. | 1 Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. They will strike Israel’s leader in the face with a rod. A Ruler from Bethlehem |
| 2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity. | 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. |
| 3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel. | 3The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. |
| 4He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. | 4And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world. |
| 5And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. | 5And he will be the source of peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and break through our defenses, we will appoint seven rulers to watch over us, eight princes to lead us. |
| 6And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders. | 6They will rule Assyria with drawn swords and enter the gates of the land of Nimrod. He will rescue us from the Assyrians when they pour over the borders to invade our land. The Remnant Purified |
| 7Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. | 7Then the remnant left in Israel will take their place among the nations. They will be like dew sent by the LORD or like rain falling on the grass, which no one can hold back and no one can restrain. |
| 8Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them. | 8The remnant left in Israel will take their place among the nations. They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a strong young lion among flocks of sheep and goats, pouncing and tearing as they go with no rescuer in sight. |
| 9Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off. | 9The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out. |
| 10“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots. | 10“In that day,” says the LORD, “I will slaughter your horses and destroy your chariots. |
| 11I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds. | 11I will tear down your walls and demolish your defenses. |
| 12I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers. | 12I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers. |
| 13I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands. | 13I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands. |
| 14I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities. | 14I will abolish your idol shrines with their Asherah poles and destroy your pagan cities. |
| 15I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed Me.” | 15I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me.” |
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