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1. Now strong city, gather your soldiers! They are surrounding us for the attack! They will hit the Judge of Israel on the cheek with a stick.
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1. Now H6258 gather thyself in troops H1413 , O daughter H1323 of troops H1416 : he hath laid H7760 siege H4692 against H5921 us : they shall smite H5221 H853 the judge H8199 of Israel H3478 with a rod H7626 upon H5921 the cheek H3895 .
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2. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are the smallest town in Judah. Your family is almost too small to count, but the "Ruler of Israel" will come from you to rule for me. His beginnings are from ancient times, from long, long ago.
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2. But thou H859 , Bethlehem H1035 Ephratah H672 , though thou be H1961 little H6810 among the thousands H505 of Judah H3063 , yet out of H4480 thee shall he come forth H3318 unto me that is to be H1961 ruler H4910 in Israel H3478 ; whose goings forth H4163 have been from of old H4480 H6924 , from everlasting H4480 H3117 H5769 .
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3. The Lord will give up his people until the woman gives birth to her child, the promised king. Then the rest of his brothers will come back to the people of Israel.
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3. Therefore H3651 will he give them up H5414 , until H5704 the time H6256 that she which travaileth H3205 hath brought forth H3205 : then the remnant H3499 of his brethren H251 shall return H7725 unto H5921 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 .
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4. Then the Ruler of Israel will stand in the power of the Lord and in the wonderful name of the Lord his God and care for his people. They will live in peace because at that time his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
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4. And he shall stand H5975 and feed H7462 in the strength H5797 of the LORD H3068 , in the majesty H1347 of the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 ; and they shall abide H3427 : for H3588 now H6258 shall he be great H1431 unto H5704 the ends H657 of the earth H776 .
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5. There will be peace. Yes, the Assyrian army will come into our country and trample our large buildings. But the Ruler of Israel will choose seven shepherds and eight leaders.
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5. And this H2088 man shall be H1961 the peace H7965 , when H3588 the Assyrian H804 shall come H935 into our land H776 : and when H3588 he shall tread H1869 in our palaces H759 , then shall we raise H6965 against H5921 him seven H7651 shepherds H7462 , and eight H8083 principal H5257 men H120 .
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6. They will use their swords and rule the Assyrians. They will rule the land of Nimrod with their swords in hand. They will use their swords to rule those people. But then the Ruler of Israel will save us from the Assyrians when they come into our land and walk on our territory.
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6. And they shall waste H7489 H853 the land H776 of Assyria H804 with the sword H2719 , and the land H776 of Nimrod H5248 in the entrances H6607 thereof : thus shall he deliver H5337 us from H4480 the Assyrian H804 , when H3588 he cometh H935 into our land H776 , and when H3588 he treadeth H1869 within our borders H1366 .
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7. But those from Jacob who are still living and scattered among the nations will be like dew from the Lord that does not depend on anyone. They will be like rain on the grass that does not wait for anyone.
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7. And the remnant H7611 of Jacob H3290 shall be H1961 in the midst H7130 of many H7227 people H5971 as a dew H2919 from H4480 H854 the LORD H3068 , as the showers H7241 upon H5921 the grass H6212 , that H834 tarrieth H6960 not H3808 for man H376 , nor H3808 waiteth H3176 for the sons H1121 of men H120 .
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8. Those from Jacob who are still living are scattered among the nations. But they will be like a lion among the animals in the forest. They will be like a young lion among flocks of sheep. If the lion passes through, he goes where he wants to go. If he attacks an animal, then no one can save it. The survivors will be like that.
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8. And the remnant H7611 of Jacob H3290 shall be H1961 among the Gentiles H1471 in the midst H7130 of many H7227 people H5971 as a lion H738 among the beasts H929 of the forest H3293 , as a young lion H3715 among the flocks H5739 of sheep H6629 : who H834 , if H518 he go through H5674 , both treadeth down H7429 , and teareth in pieces H2963 , and none H369 can deliver H5337 .
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9. You will lift your hand against your enemies, and you will destroy them.
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9. Thine hand H3027 shall be lifted up H7311 upon H5921 thine adversaries H6862 , and all H3605 thine enemies H341 shall be cut off H3772 .
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10. The Lord says, "At that time I will take away your horses, and I will destroy your chariots.
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10. And it shall come to pass H1961 in that H1931 day H3117 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , that I will cut off H3772 thy horses H5483 out of the midst H4480 H7130 of thee , and I will destroy H6 thy chariots H4818 :
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11. I will destroy the cities in your country. I will pull down all your fortresses.
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11. And I will cut off H3772 the cities H5892 of thy land H776 , and throw down H2040 all H3605 thy strongholds H4013 :
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12. You will no longer try to do magic. You will have no more fortunetellers.
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12. And I will cut off H3772 witchcrafts H3785 out of thine hand H4480 H3027 ; and thou shalt have H1961 no H3808 more soothsayers H6049 :
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13. I will destroy your statues of false gods. I will pull down your stones for remembering them You will not worship what your hands have made.
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13. Thy graven images H6456 also will I cut off H3772 , and thy standing images H4676 out of the midst H4480 H7130 of thee ; and thou shalt no H3808 more H5750 worship H7812 the work H4639 of thine hands H3027 .
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14. I will destroy the Asherah poles and your false gods.
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14. And I will pluck up H5428 thy groves H842 out of the midst H4480 H7130 of thee : so will I destroy H8045 thy cities H5892 .
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15. Some nations will not listen to me, but I will show my anger and get my revenge."
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15. And I will execute H6213 vengeance H5359 in anger H639 and fury H2534 upon H853 the heathen H1471 , such as H834 they have not H3808 heard H8085 .
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