Micah 5:2
1 Now 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.
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- But 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.
- KJV
- But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
- WEB
- But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- (And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel: whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity.)
- BLB
- And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the thousands of Judah: From you will come forth unto Me One to be Ruler in Israel, and his goings forth [are] of old, from everlasting.
- ÅB
- Men du, Betlehem Efrata,
liten til å være blant Judas tusener![^1]
Av deg skal det gå ut for meg
en som skal være hersker over Israel.
Hans opphav er fra gammel tid,
fra evige dager. - OTB
- "Og du, Betlehem, i Juda land,
er slett ikke den minste blant Judas herskere;
for fra deg skal det komme en hersker som skal vokte mitt folk Israel.
Hans tider for å komme frem er fra lenge siden,
Fra evighetens dager." - B1930
- Men du Betlehem, Efrata, som er liten til å være med blandt Judas tusener! Av dig skal det utgå for mig en som skal være hersker over Israel, og hans utgang er fra fordum, fra evighets dager. / < større avdelinger av stammene.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 2:6
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Read in contextJohn 7:42
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
Read in contextLuke 1:31–33
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Read in contextIsaiah 9:6–7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Read in contextPsalms 90:2
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Read in contextGenesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Read in contextIsaiah 11:1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Read in contextZechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Read in context