^{1 Ref} Now gather thyself together, O daughter of troops, A siege he hath laid against us, With a rod they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel.

^{2 Ref} And thou, Beth-Lehem Ephratah, Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From thee to Me he cometh forth -- to be ruler in Israel, And his comings forth `are' of old, From the days of antiquity.

^{3 Ref} Therefore he doth give them out till the time She who bringeth forth hath brought forth, And the remnant of his brethren return to the sons of Israel.

^{4 Ref} And he hath stood and delighted in the strength of Jehovah, In the excellency of the name of Jehovah his God, And they have remained, For now he is great unto the ends of earth.

^{5 Ref} And this `one' hath been peace, Asshur! when he doth come into our land, And when he doth tread in our palaces, We have raised against him seven shepherds, And eight anointed of man.

^{6 Ref} And they have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword, And the land of Nimrod at its openings, And he hath delivered from Asshur when he doth come into our land, And when he treadeth in our borders.

^{7 Ref} And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from Jehovah -- as showers on the herb, That waiteth not for man, nor stayeth for the sons of men.

^{8 Ref} Yea, the remnant of Jacob hath been among nations, In the midst of many peoples, As a lion among beasts of a forest, As a young lion among ranks of a flock, Which if it hath passed through, Hath both trodden down and hath torn, And there is no deliverer.

^{9 Ref} High is thy hand above thine adversaries, And all thine enemies are cut off.

^{10 Ref} And it hath come to pass in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah, I have cut off thy horses from thy midst, And I have destroyed thy chariots,

^{11 Ref} And I have cut off the cities of thy land, And I have thrown down all thy fortresses,

^{12 Ref} And have cut off sorcerers out of thy hand, And observers of clouds thou hast none.

^{13 Ref} And I have cut off thy graven images, And thy standing-pillars out of thy midst, And thou dost not bow thyself any more To the work of thy hands.

^{14 Ref} And I have plucked up thy shrines out of thy midst, And I have destroyed thine enemies.

^{15 Ref} And I have done vengeance in anger and in fury, With the nations who have not hearkened!

^{1 Ref} Now 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.

^{2 Ref} But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Being small among the clans of Judah, Out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

^{3 Ref} Therefore 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.

^{4 Ref} 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.

^{5 Ref} 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.

^{6 Ref} They 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.

^{7 Ref} The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from Yahweh, Like showers on the grass, That don't wait for man, Nor wait for the sons of men.

^{8 Ref} The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, In the midst of 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.

^{9 Ref} Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, And let all of your enemies be cut off.

^{10 Ref} "It will happen in that day," says Yahweh, "That I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, And will destroy your chariots.

^{11 Ref} I will cut off the cities of your land, And will tear down all your strongholds.

^{12 Ref} I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; And you shall have no soothsayers.

^{13 Ref} I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out of your midst; And you shall no more worship the work of your hands.

^{14 Ref} I will uproot your Asherim out of your midst; And I will destroy your cities.

^{15 Ref} I will execute vengeance in anger, And wrath on the nations that didn't listen."

^{1 Ref} Now shalt thou 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.

^{2 Ref} But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

^{3 Ref} Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

^{4 Ref} And he shall stand, and shall feed `his flock' in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

^{5 Ref} And this `man' shall be `our' 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.

^{6 Ref} And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our border.

^{7 Ref} And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from Jehovah, as showers upon the grass, that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

^{8 Ref} And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and there is none to deliver.

^{9 Ref} Let thy hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off.

^{10 Ref} And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and will destroy thy chariots:

^{11 Ref} and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and will throw down all thy strongholds.

^{12 Ref} And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand; and thou shalt have no `more' soothsayers:

^{13 Ref} and I will cut off thy graven images and thy pillars out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands;

^{14 Ref} and I will pluck up thine Asherim out of the midst of thee; and I will destroy thy cities.

^{15 Ref} And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations which hearkened not.