Micah 5:2

But you people of [APO] Bethlehem in Ephrathah district need to know that even though your town is a very small one among all the towns in Judah, someone who will rule Israel will be born in your town. He will be someone whose family has existed a very long time ago [DOU].

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

In Context

1“But now, you people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together, because even though you have a wall around your city to protect it, enemy soldiers are surrounding the city. And soon they will strike your leader on his face, with a rod.”

3But now you people of Israel will be conquered by your enemies; but it will be for only a short time, like [MET] the short time that women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow-countrymen who were ◄exiled/forced to go to other countries► will return to their own country.

Read all of Micah 5

Cross References

Genesis 35:19After Rachel died, she was buried alongside the road to Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem.

Genesis 49:10There will always be a ruler [MTY] from the descendants of Judah [MTY]. Each one will hold a scepter/staff to show that he has authority as a king. He will do that until the one to whom the scepter belongs comes, the one to whom the nations will bring tribute and show that they will obey him.

Exodus 18:25Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.

Judges 17:7There was a young man who had been living in Bethlehem in the area where the tribe of Judah lives. He wanted to work as a priest because he was a member of the tribe of Levi.

1 Samuel 8:12Some of them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and then later harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.

1 Samuel 17:12David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was from the clan of Ephrath. He lived in Bethlehem, in the area where the descendants of Judah lived. Jesse had eight sons. When Saul was king, Jesse had already become a very old man [DOU].

Matthew Henry on Micah 5:2-7

The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; The Glory of Messiah. ( b. c. 720.) 1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Micah 5:2