1Now, gather your troops, daughter of troops. A siege has been set up against us. They will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.
2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, from you will come one who will rule Israel for me—one whose origins are from ancient times, from long ago.
3Therefore, he will abandon them until the time when the one in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel.
4He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the majestic name of Yahweh his God. And they will live securely, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
5He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and marches through our fortresses. Then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.
6They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword and the land of Nimrod within its borders. He will rescue us from the Assyrian when he invades our land and marches inside our borders.
7The remaining people of Jacob will be among many nations, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, which do not depend on people or wait for anyone.
8The remaining people of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among forest animals, like a young lion among flocks of sheep; when it passes through, it tramples and tears, and no one can rescue.
9May your power be lifted above your enemies, and may all your foes be eliminated.
10“On that day,” declares Yahweh, “I will remove your horses from among you and destroy your chariots.
11I will cut off the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.
12I will eliminate witchcraft from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.
13I will remove your carved images and your sacred pillars from among you, and you will no longer worship the work of your hands.
14I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you, and I will destroy your cities.
15I will carry out vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that did not obey.”