Micah 5 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Now, strong city, {\cf2\super [59]} gather your soldiers.\par They are surrounding us for the attack!\par They will hit the Judge of Israel\par on the cheek with their stick.\par

² But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,\par are the smallest town in Judah.\par Your family is almost too small to count.\par But the “Ruler of Israel”\par will come from you for me.\par His beginnings {\cf2\super [60]} are from ancient times,\par from long, long ago.\par

³ So the Lord {\cf2\super [61]} will give up his people\par until the woman gives birth to her child,\par \{the promised king\}.\par Then the rest of his brothers\par will come back to the people of Israel.\par

⁴ Then \{the Ruler of Israel\} will stand\par in the power of the Lord and\par in the wonderful name\par of the Lord his God\par and feed \{the flock\}.\par They will live \{in peace\}\par because at that time, his greatness\par will reach to the ends of the earth. {\cf2\super [62]} \par

⁵ There will be peace.\par Yes, the Assyrian army\par will come into our country\par and trample our large buildings.\par But the Ruler of Israel {\cf2\super [63]} will choose\par seven shepherds and eight leaders. {\cf2\super [64]} \par

⁶ They will use their swords\par and rule the Assyrians.\par They will rule the land of Nimrod {\cf2\super [65]} \par with swords in hand.\par They will use their swords\par to rule those people.\par But then \{the Ruler of Israel\}\par will save us from the Assyrians\par who will come into our land\par and trample our territory.\par

⁷ But the survivors {\cf2\super [66]} from Jacob\par scattered among the nations\par will be like dew from the Lord\par that doesn’t depend on any man.\par They will be like rain on the grass\par that doesn’t wait for anyone.\par

⁸ But the survivors {\cf2\super [67]} from Jacob in the nations\par scattered among those people\par will be like a lion\par among the animals in the forest.\par They will be like a young lion\par among flocks of sheep.\par If the lion passes through,\par he goes where he wants to go.\par If he attacks an animal,\par then no one can save that animal.\par \{The survivors will be like that.\}\par

⁹ You will lift your hand against your enemies,\par and you will destroy them.\par

¹⁰ The Lord says,\par “At that time,\par I will take away your horses,\par and I will destroy your chariots. {\cf2\super [68]} \par

¹¹ I will destroy the cities in your country.\par I will pull down all your fortresses. {\cf2\super [69]} \par

¹² You will no longer try to do magic.\par You will not have any more people that try to tell the future.\par

¹³ I will destroy your statues \{of false gods\}.\par I will pull down your stones for remembering those false gods.\par You will not worship the things\par that your hands have made.\par

¹⁴ I will destroy the Asherah poles. {\cf2\super [70]} \par And I will destroy your false gods. {\cf2\super [71]} \par

¹⁵ Some people will not listen to me.\par But I will show my anger.\par And I will get even with those people.”\par