Micah - The Old Testament

¹ But in days to come Yahweh's Temple Mountain will tower above the mountains, rise higher than the hills.

² Then the peoples will stream to it, then many nations will come and say, 'Come, we will go up to Yahweh's mountain, to the Temple of the God of Jacob, so that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths; for the Law issues from Zion and Yahweh's word from Jerusalem.'

³ He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate between mighty nations. They will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into bill-hooks. Nation will not lift sword against nation or ever again be trained to make war.

⁴ But each man will sit under his vine and fig tree with no one to trouble him. The mouth of Yahweh Sabaoth has spoken.

⁵ For all peoples go forward, each in the name of its god, while we go forward in the name of Yahweh our God for ever and ever.

⁶ That day -- declares Yahweh- I shall gather in the lame and bring together the strays and those whom I have treated harshly.

⁷ From the footsore I shall make a remnant, and from the far-flung a mighty nation. And Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion thenceforth and for ever.

⁸ And to you, Tower of the Flock, Ophel of the daughter of Zion, to you your former sovereignty will return, the royal power of the daughter of Jerusalem.

⁹ Why are you crying out now? Have you no king? Has your counsellor perished, for pangs to grip you like those of a woman in labour?

¹⁰ Writhe in pain and cry aloud, daughter of Zion, like a woman in labour, for now you must leave the city and camp in the open country; to Babylon you must go, and there you will be rescued; there Yahweh will ransom you from the clutches of your enemies.

¹¹ Now many nations have mustered against you. They say, 'Let us desecrate her, let us gloat over Zion!'

¹² But they do not know Yahweh's thoughts, they do not understand his design: he has collected them like sheaves on the threshing-floor.

¹³ Start your threshing, daughter of Zion, for I shall make your horn like iron, I shall make your hooves like bronze, so that you can crush many peoples. And you will devote what they have stolen to Yahweh, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

¹⁴ Now look to your fortifications, Fortress! They have laid siege to us; the ruler of Israel will be struck on the cheek with a rod.