“The people of Moab have never known trouble. They are like wine left to settle; they have never been poured from one jar to another. They have not been taken into captivity. So they taste as they did before, and their smell has not changed.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are too small to be among the army groups from Judah, from you will come one who will rule Israel for me. He comes from very old times, from days long ago.”
At that time I, the Lord, will search Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish those who are satisfied with themselves, who think, ‘The Lord won’t help us or punish us.’
The everlasting God is your place of safety, and his arms will hold you up forever. He will force your enemy out ahead of you, saying, ‘Destroy the enemy!’