From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

^[a]Now, daughter who is under attack,

you slash yourself in grief;

a siege is set against us!

They are striking the judge of Israel

on the cheek with a rod.

^2 [b]Bethlehem Ephrathah,

you are small among the clans of Judah;

One will come from you

to be ruler over Israel for Me.

His origin^[c] is from antiquity,

from eternity.^[d]

³ Therefore, He will abandon them until the time

when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of His brothers will return

to the people of Israel.

⁴ He will stand and shepherd them

in the strength of Yahweh,

in the majestic name of Yahweh His God.

They will live securely,

for then His greatness will extend

to the ends of the earth.

⁵ He will be their peace.

When Assyria invades our land,

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

⁶ They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.^[e]

So He will rescue us from Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.

The Glorious and Purified Remnant

⁷ Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among many peoples

like dew from the Lord,

like showers on the grass,

which do not wait for anyone

or linger for mankind.

⁸ Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among the nations, among many peoples,

like a lion among animals of the forest,

like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

which tramples and tears as it passes through,

and there is no one to rescue them.

⁹ Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,

and all your enemies will be destroyed.