The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem
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a Now muster your troops, O daughterb of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod 1they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.
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c2But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of 3Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be 4ruler in Israel, 5whose coming forth is 6from of old, from ancient days.
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Therefore he shall give them up 7until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then 8the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
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And he shall stand 9and shepherd his flock 10in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now 11he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
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And he shall be 12their peace.13When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven 14shepherds and eight princes of men;
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they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of 15Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian 16when he comes into our land and treads within our border.
A Remnant Shall Be Delivered
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Then 17the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man.
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And 18the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, 19which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.
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Your hand shall 20be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
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And 21in that day, declares the LORD, 22I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots;
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23and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds;
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and 26I will cut off your carved images and 27your pillars from among you, 28and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;
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And in anger and wrath 31I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)