TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
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Micah - Chapter 5

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1And you, O Beit Lechem of Efrat, Least among the clans of Yehuda, From you one shall come forth To rule Yisrael for Me— One whose origin is from of old, From ancient times.

v'-a-TAH bayt LE-khem ef-RA-tah tza-EER lih-YOT b'-al-FAY y'-hu-DAH mi-m'-KHA LEE yay-TZAY lih-YOT mo-SHAYL b'-yis-ra-AYL u-mo-tza-o-TAV mi-KE-dem mee-MAY o-LAM

אוְאַתָּה בֵּית־לֶחֶם אֶפְרָתָה צָעִיר לִהְיוֹת בְּאַלְפֵי יְהוּדָה מִמְּךָ לִי יֵצֵא לִהְיוֹת מוֹשֵׁל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמוֹצָאֹתָיו מִקֶּדֶם מִימֵי עוֹלָם׃

 5:1 And you, O Beit Lechem of Efrat

Vineyards outside of the Jewish community of Efrat.

At the beginning of chapter 5, a young child appears who will lead the people to victory. He is born in Beit Lechem of Efrat in Yehuda. The city of Beit Lechem, which means ‘House of Bread,’ sits five miles south of Yerushalayim. In this verse, Efrat is either another name for Beit Lechem or refers to the larger district in which it is found. The present day city of Efrat was established in 1983, adjacent to the Beit Lechem, and is home to over 8,000 residents. Micha writes that Beit Lechem is in Yehuda, to distinguish it from another city called Beit Lechem in the north of the country in the territory of Zevulun (Joshua 19:15). The young one is described as “Least among the clans of Yehuda,” but nevertheless, “he will deliver us from Assyria” (verse 5). Micha’s allusion to King David, the youngest of all his brothers who nevertheless brought salvation from Israel’s enemies, is unmistakable. Indeed, this young lad will be a descendant of King David, son of “Yishai of Beit Lechem” (I Samuel 16:1).

2Truly, He will leave them [helpless] Until she who is to bear has borne; Then the rest of his countrymen Shall return to the children of Yisrael.

בלָכֵן יִתְּנֵם עַד־עֵת יוֹלֵדָה יָלָדָה וְיֶתֶר אֶחָיו יְשׁוּבוּן עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

3He shall stand and shepherd By the might of Hashem, By the power of the name Of Hashem his God, And they shall dwell [secure]. For lo, he shall wax great To the ends of the earth;

גוְעָמַד וְרָעָה בְּעֹז יְהֹוָה בִּגְאוֹן שֵׁם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו וְיָשָׁבוּ כִּי־עַתָּה יִגְדַּל עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ׃

4And that shall afford safety. Should Assyria invade our land And tread upon our fortresses, We will set up over it seven shepherds, Eight princes of men,

דוְהָיָה זֶה שָׁלוֹם אַשּׁוּר כִּי־יָבוֹא בְאַרְצֵנוּ וְכִי יִדְרֹךְ בְּאַרְמְנֹתֵינוּ וַהֲקֵמֹנוּ עָלָיו שִׁבְעָה רֹעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה נְסִיכֵי אָדָם׃

5Who will shepherd Assyria's land with swords, The land of Nimrod in its gates. Thus he will deliver [us] From Assyria, should it invade our land, And should it trample our country.

הוְרָעוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר בַּחֶרֶב וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ נִמְרֹד בִּפְתָחֶיהָ וְהִצִּיל מֵאַשּׁוּר כִּי־יָבוֹא בְאַרְצֵנוּ וְכִי יִדְרֹךְ בִּגְבוּלֵנוּ׃

6The remnant of Yaakov shall be, In the midst of the many peoples, Like dew from Hashem, Like droplets on grass— Which do not look to any man Nor place their hope in mortals.

ווְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב בְּקֶרֶב עַמִּים רַבִּים כְּטַל מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה כִּרְבִיבִים עֲלֵי־עֵשֶׂב אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְקַוֶּה לְאִישׁ וְלֹא יְיַחֵל לִבְנֵי אָדָם׃

7The remnant of Yaakov Shall be among the nations, In the midst of the many peoples, Like a lion among beasts of the wild, Like a fierce lion among flocks of sheep, Which tramples wherever it goes And rends, with none to deliver.

זוְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב בַּגּוֹיִם בְּקֶרֶב עַמִּים רַבִּים כְּאַרְיֵה בְּבַהֲמוֹת יַעַר כִּכְפִיר בְּעֶדְרֵי צֹאן אֲשֶׁר אִם עָבַר וְרָמַס וְטָרַף וְאֵין מַצִּיל׃

8Your hand shall prevail over your foes, And all your enemies shall be cut down!

חתָּרֹם יָדְךָ עַל־צָרֶיךָ וְכָל־אֹיְבֶיךָ יִכָּרֵתוּ׃

9In that day —declares Hashem— I will destroy the horses in your midst And wreck your chariots.

טוְהָיָה בַיּוֹם־הַהוּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְהִכְרַתִּי סוּסֶיךָ מִקִּרְבֶּךָ וְהַאֲבַדְתִּי מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ׃

10I will destroy the cities of your land And demolish all your fortresses.

יוְהִכְרַתִּי עָרֵי אַרְצֶךָ וְהָרַסְתִּי כָּל־מִבְצָרֶיךָ׃

11I will destroy the sorcery you practice, And you shall have no more soothsayers.

יאוְהִכְרַתִּי כְשָׁפִים מִיָּדֶךָ וּמְעוֹנְנִים לֹא יִהְיוּ־לָךְ׃

12I will destroy your idols And the sacred pillars in your midst; And no more shall you bow down To the work of your hands.

יבוְהִכְרַתִּי פְסִילֶיךָ וּמַצֵּבוֹתֶיךָ מִקִּרְבֶּךָ וְלֹא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה עוֹד לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ׃

13I will tear down the sacred posts in your midst And destroy your cities.

יגוְנָתַשְׁתִּי אֲשֵׁירֶיךָ מִקִּרְבֶּךָ וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי עָרֶיךָ׃

14In anger and wrath Will I wreak retribution On the nations that have not obeyed.

ידוְעָשִׂיתִי בְּאַף וּבְחֵמָה נָקָם אֶת־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁמֵעוּ׃