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The Ruler from Bethlehem

^{2 *}But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
   who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
   one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
   from ancient days.
³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time
   when she who is in labour has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
   to the people of Israel.
⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
   in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
   to the ends of the earth;
⁵ and he shall be the one of peace.

   If the Assyrians come into our land
   and tread upon our soil,^*
we will raise against them seven shepherds
   and eight installed as rulers.
⁶ They shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword,
   and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword;^*
they^* shall rescue us from the Assyrians
   if they come into our land
   or tread within our border.

The Future Role of the Remnant

⁷ Then the remnant of Jacob,
   surrounded by many peoples,
shall be like dew from the Lord,
   like showers on the grass,
which do not depend upon people
   or wait for any mortal.
⁸ And among the nations the remnant of Jacob,
   surrounded by many peoples,
shall be like a lion among the animals of the forest,
   like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,
which, when it goes through, treads down
   and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver.
⁹ Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,
   and all your enemies shall be cut off.