[1] Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
[2] But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to 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 time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brothers shall return to the children of Israel. ¶
[4] And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth.
[5] And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
[6] And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
[7] And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the middle of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers on the grass, that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men. ¶
[8] And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the middle of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
[9] Your hand shall be lifted up on your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
[10] And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the middle of you, and I will destroy your chariots:
[11] And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds:
[12] And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
[13] Your graven images also will I cut off, and your standing images out of the middle of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
[14] And I will pluck up your groves out of the middle of you: so will I destroy your cities.
[15] And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury on the heathen, such as they have not heard.