Micah5
New King James Version
1Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
3Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.
4And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;
5And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
6They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.
7Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men.
8And the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles, In the midst of many peoples, Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Who, if he passes through, Both treads down and tears in pieces, And none can deliver.
9Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off.
10“And it shall be in that day,” says the Lord, “That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots.
11I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds.
12I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers.
13Your carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands;
14I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities.
15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Micah 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The birth of Christ and conversion of the Gentiles. (1–6). The triumphs of Israel. (7–15).
vv1-6
Having showed how low the house of David would be brought, a prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom is added to encourage the faith of God's people. His existence from eternity as God, and his office as Mediator, are noticed. Here is foretold that Bethlehem should be his birthplace. Hence it was universally known among the Jews, Mt 2:5. Christ's government shall be very happy for his subjects; they shall be safe and easy. Under the shadow of protection from the Assyrians, is a promise of protection to the gospel church and all believers, from the designs and attempts of the powers of darkness. Christ is our Peace as a Priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God; and he is our Peace as a King, conquering our enemies: hence our souls may dwell at ease in him. Christ will find instruments to protect and deliver. Those that threaten ruin to the church of God, soon bring ruin on themselves. This may include the past powerful effects of the preached gospel, its future spread, and the ruin of all antichristian powers. This is, perhaps, the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament: it respects the personal character of the Messiah, and the discoveries of himself to the world. It distinguishes his human birth from his existing from eternity; it foretells the rejection of the Israelites and Jews for a season, their final restoration, and the universal peace to prevail through the whole earth in the latter days. In the mean time let us trust our Shepherd's care and power. If he permits the assault of our enemies, he will supply helpers and assistance for us.
vv7-15
The remnant of Israel, converted to Christ in the primitive times, were among many nations as the drops of dew, and were made instruments in calling a large increase of spiritual worshippers. But to those who neglected or opposed this salvation, they would, as lions, cause terror, their doctrine condemning them. The Lord also declares that he would cause not only the reformation of the Jews, but the purification of the Christian church. In like manner shall we be assured of victory in our personal conflicts, as we simply depend upon the Lord our salvation, worship him, and serve him with diligence.
Key Words
עַתָּה: at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive
גָּדַד: to crowd; also to gash (as if by pressing into)
גְּדוּד: a crowd (especially of soldiers)
בַּת: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
מָצוֹר: something hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a fastness
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
שֵׁבֶט: a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
נָכָה: to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
שָׁפַט: to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Cross References
Micah 5Explicitly cites Micah 5:2 as predicting the birthplace of the Messiah in Bethlehem.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Reflects the common Jewish expectation based on this verse that Messiah comes from Bethlehem.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the promise of a ruler coming out of Judah to whom the gathering belongs.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the birth of the child who is also the everlasting ruler.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the Messiah's 'goings forth' being from the beginning, from everlasting.
Supported by JFB
The smiting of the judge on the cheek prefigures Christ's physical abuse.
Supported by JFB
The fulfillment of the insulting smiting on the cheek during Christ's trials.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the ancient geographic connection between Bethlehem and Ephratah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicitly associates Bethlehem with the ancient name Ephrath.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the division of Israel into 'thousands' led by rulers, explaining the terminology.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the promise that their governor/ruler shall proceed from the midst of them.
Supported by JFB
The Messiah standing and feeding his flock as the one true Shepherd.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the Lord feeding his flock like a gentle, powerful shepherd.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Declares that Christ Himself is our peace, fulfilling 'this man shall be the peace'.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Calvin compares the retributive gathering of enemy troops to this woe on the plunderer.
Supported by John Calvin
JFB notes the term 'judge' used here of Israel's king parallels Amos 2:3.
Supported by JFB
Expresses the same Hebrew concept of divine existence from everlasting to everlasting.
Supported by JFB
Refers to Christ reigning as the great ruler whose birth is here promised.
Supported by JFB
Provides the historical background identifying the land of Assyria with the land of Nimrod.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates Israel renouncing false confidence in horses, matching the cutting off of horses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophesies the cutting off of witchcrafts, false prophets, and unclean spirits from the land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Literal fulfillment of the Roman soldiers smiting the King of Israel on the head.
Supported by JFB
Gideon expresses being 'least' in his family, illustrating God choosing the small to eclipse the great.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the remnant of Jacob being refreshed as dew from the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry