| New Living Translation | New International Version |
| 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 | 1Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod. |
| 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. | 2"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." |
| 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. | 3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. |
| 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. | 4He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. |
| 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. | 5And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders, |
| 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 | 6who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders. |
| 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. | 7The 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 anyone or depend on man. |
| 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. | 8The 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 mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. |
| 9The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out. | 9Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed. |
| 10“In that day,” says the LORD, “I will slaughter your horses and destroy your chariots. | 10"In that day," declares the LORD, "I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots. |
| 11I will tear down your walls and demolish your defenses. | 11I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds. |
| 12I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers. | 12I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells. |
| 13I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands. | 13I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. |
| 14I will abolish your idol shrines with their Asherah poles and destroy your pagan cities. | 14I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities. |
| 15I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me.” | 15I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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