Discovery BoxMicah 5:2 
Context5:2 (5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 1
seemingly insignificant 2 among the clans of Judah –
from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, 3
one whose origins 4 are in the distant past. 5
Micah 5:4-5
Context5:4 He will assume his post 6 and shepherd the people 7 by the Lord’s strength,
by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. 8
They will live securely, 9 for at that time he will be honored 10
even in the distant regions of 11 the earth.
Should the Assyrians try to invade our land
and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, 13
we will send 14 against them seven 15 shepherd-rulers, 16
make that eight commanders. 17
1 sn Ephrathah is either an alternate name for Bethlehem or the name of the district in which Bethlehem was located. See Ruth 4:11.
map For location of Bethlehem see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
2 tn Heb “being small.” Some omit לִהְיוֹת (lihyot, “being”) because it fits awkwardly and appears again in the next line.
3 tn Heb “from you for me one will go out to be a ruler over Israel.”
4 tn Heb “his goings out.” The term may refer to the ruler’s origins (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) or to his activities.
5 tn Heb “from the past, from the days of antiquity.” Elsewhere both phrases refer to the early periods in the history of the world or of the nation of Israel. For מִקֶּדֶם (miqqedem, “from the past”) see Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10. For מִימֵי עוֹלָם (mimey ’olam, “from the days of antiquity”) see Isa 63:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mic 7:14; Mal 3:4. In Neh 12:46 and Amos 9:11 the Davidic era is in view.
sn In riddle-like fashion this verse alludes to David, as the references to Bethlehem and to his ancient origins/activities indicate. The passage anticipates the second coming of the great king to usher in a new era of national glory for Israel. Other prophets are more direct and name this coming ideal ruler “David” (Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos 3:5). Of course, this prophecy of “David’s” second coming is actually fulfilled through his descendant, the Messiah, who will rule in the spirit and power of his famous ancestor and bring to realization the Davidic royal ideal in an even greater way than the historical David (see Isa 11:1, 10; Jer 33:15).
6 tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”
7 tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
8 tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the
9 tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps וְיָשָׁבוּ (vÿyashavu, “and they will live”) should be emended to וְשָׁבוּ (vÿshavu, “and they will return”).
10 tn Heb “be great.”
11 tn Or “to the ends of.”
12 tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).
13 tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).
14 tn Heb “raise up.”
15 sn The numbers seven and eight here symbolize completeness and emphasize that Israel will have more than enough military leadership and strength to withstand the Assyrian advance.
16 tn Heb “shepherds.”
17 tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”
