Micah 5:1-4
Chapter 5
1
The Remnant Among the Nations
But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be counted among the clans of Judah; from you, I will bring forth the one who is to rule over Israel, for he comes from old, from ancient times.2
Therefore, the Lord will abandon Israel until the time she gives birth. Then, the remaining deported brothers will return to the people of Israel.
3
He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of the Lord, in the glorious Name of the Lord, his God. They will live safely while he gains renown to the ends of the earth.
4
He shall be peace.When the Assyrians invade our land and set foot on our territory, we will raise against them not one, but seven shepherds; eight warlords.
Commentaries
Title.
This section highlights the comfort of the people and the hope for messianic restoration. The original text of Micah appears to have been altered later with annotations referencing the people’s exile in Babylon.
Salvation Through Trial.
The metaphor of a woman giving birth shows that God’s salvation, unlike the nationalist zeal of false prophets (3:11), involves a painful purification process. During the trial, Israel must trust in the Lord. This hardship could refer to the destruction of several Judahite cities and the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in 701 BC (cf. 2 Kgs 18:13-19:37). The reference to the Babylonian exile (10) might be a later addition.
Bethlehem of Ephrathah, the birthplace of King David, will also be the place where the Messiah, the King, will be born, fulfilling the covenant that God made with the house of David (2 Sm 7:1-17). The Gospel of Matthew announces the fulfillment of this prophecy with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Mt 2:6). It is the power of the Lord that frees Israel from the cruel oppression caused by its own sin (5).