1 Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall strike the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you 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 who travails has 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.
5 And this one shall be the 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 princely men.
6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men.
8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: which, if it passes through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of your midst, and I will destroy your chariots:
11 And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strongholds:
12 And I will cut off sorceries out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
13 Your graven images also will I cut off, and your sacred pillars out of your midst; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 And I will pluck up your idol poles out of your midst: so will I destroy your cities.
15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations, that have not obeyed.