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for he has a siege set against us. With a staff they will strike on the cheek the judge of Israel.
2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
from you will come One
who will be ruler over Israel for Me,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.”
3 Therefore He will give them up
until the time when she who is in labour gives birth;
then the rest of His brothers will return
to join the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and shepherd His flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.
And they will live securely, for then His greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5And He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
and when he marches through our fortresses,
we will raise against him seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword.
He will deliver us from the Assyrian
when he invades our land,
when he marches into our borders.
7 Then the remnant of Jacob
will be in the midst of many peoples,
like dew from the Lord,
like showers on the grass,
that tarry for no man,
or linger for the sons of man.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which treads down and tears in pieces
as it passes through,
and no one can rescue.
9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,
and all your enemies will be destroyed.
10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will cut off your horses from among you
and demolish your chariots.
11 I will cut off the cities of your land
and tear down all your strongholds.
12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you will have no more fortune-tellers.
13 I will cut off your carved images
and your sacred pillars from among you;
you will bow down no more
to the work of your hands.
14 I will uproot your Asherah poles from among you
and demolish your cities.
15 And I will take vengeance in anger and wrath
against the nations that have not obeyed Me.”