1 "Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will asmite the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 "But as for ayou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From byou One will go forth for Me to be cruler in Israel. His goings forth are dfrom long ago, From the days of eternity." 3 Therefore He will agive them up until the time When she bwho is in labor has borne a child. Then the cremainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel. 4 And He will arise and ashepherd His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the bends of the earth. 5 This One awill be our peace. When the bAssyrian invades our land, When he tramples on our citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men. 6 They will ashepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, The land of bNimrod at its entrances; And He will cdeliver us from the Assyrian When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory. 7 Then the aremnant of Jacob Will be among many peoples Like bdew from the Lord, Like cshowers on vegetation Which do not wait for man Or delay for the sons of men. 8 The remnant of Jacob Will be among the nations, Among many peoples aLike a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Which, if he passes through, bTramples down and ctears, And there is dnone to rescue. 9 Your hand will be alifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies will be cut off. 10 "It will be in that day," declares the Lord, "aThat I will cut off your bhorses from among you And destroy your chariots. 11 "I will also cut off the acities of your land And tear down all your bfortifications. 12 "I will cut off asorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more. 13 "aI will cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you, So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands. 14 "I will root out your aAsherim from among you And destroy your cities. 15 "And I will aexecute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed."