1Now marshal your troops, O city of troops; for a siege has been laid against us. They shall strike the ruler of Israel upon the cheek with a rod.

2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the many clans of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me that is destined to be Ruler over Israel (Matt.2:6); Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” 3Therefore will He abandon Israel, until the time that she (Israel), who is in labor, brings forth a Son; then the rest of His brethren shall return from exile to join the children of Israel. 4And He shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD, His God; and they shall abide safely; for then shall His greatness extend to the ends of the earth. 5And this Man shall be our peace, when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. Then shall we raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders. 6And they shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrians, when they invade our land, and march across our borders.

7The remnant of Jacob shall take their place among the many nations like dew from the LORD, like the showers upon the grass, that does not wait for man, nor depends upon mankind. 8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, or like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goes through, both mauls and tears in pieces, and no one can rescue them. 9Your hand shall be raised in triumph over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be destroyed.

10“And in that day”, says the LORD, “I will destroy your horses from among you, and I will demolish your chariots; 11And I will destroy the cities of your land, and tear down all your strongholds; 12And I will remove (purge) your witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall no more cast spells; 13Your carved images I will also destroy, and your sacred standing stones (images) from your midst; and you shall no more bow down to or worship the work of your hands. 14And I will uproot your idols and shrines such as Asherah out of your midst; when I demolish your cities. 15And I will take vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations that have not obeyed me.”