Micah 5

This message accuses the evil leaders who harmed God's people. It contrasts them with a vision of God's kingdom and a righteous king's rule. After facing judgment and exile, a purified Israel would return and receive God's blessings.

The Assyrians defeated Israel's leader (compare Micah 6:9). Hitting someone with a rod showed disrespect (compare 1 Kings 22:24).

This section urges Israel to prepare for the fierce attack by Assyria, Israel's enemy (Micah 5:5b–6). This terrifying siege will not destroy Israel, because God will provide a leader (Micah 5:2–5a) to guide the people back from exile. God will preserve and purify the remaining people (Micah 5:7–14), completing their restoration as God's victorious people.

Ephrathah was the ancient name of Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16; Ruth 4:11), where David was born. In the future, a ruler greater than David would come from there (Matthew 2:5–6; John 7:42). This future king's influence would span from the distant past (Hebrew qedem; compare Deuteronomy 33:27; Proverbs 8:22–23; Isaiah 37:26) to a time yet to come, suggesting a divine-human being.

After the exile in Babylon, Prince Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, was among the returning exiles and became the focus of Israel's hopes (see Haggai 2:20–23). However, Israel needed a greater ruler than Zerubbabel. The leader from Bethlehem would bring peace; Isaiah called him the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Only Jesus fits this description.

• The Assyrians destroyed northern Israel in 722 BC. In 701 BC, Sennacherib trapped King Hezekiah of Jerusalem "like a bird in a cage" (Sennacherib's own words) and devastated over 46 cities in Judah. The expected deliverer-king did not appear during that time. The Assyrians symbolize all of Israel's enemies.

• seven shepherds … eight leaders: This phrase means there will be plenty of leaders to guide Israel as needed.

the land of Nimrod: Nimrod was a powerful early ruler. He helped establish the first cities of what later became the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations (Genesis 10:8–11).

• The remnant refers to those whom God's grace saved to form the foundation of his new people (Ezra 9:8–15; Nehemiah 1:2).

• Dew and rain are gifts from the Lord. No human being can stop him from sending them.

God did not aim to create just another nation (Exodus 19:4–6; Numbers 23:9; Jeremiah 7:23). He wanted his own people to follow his ways and be holy like him (Leviticus 11:45). In that time (Micah 5:10), God will lead a redeemed and purified people, free from violence and the damage of war.

• God's people will have a special role among the world's nations (Genesis 12:3; Exodus 19:4–6). They will lead and not follow (Deuteronomy 28:13), and be as strong as a lion (compare Esther 6:13) as God grants them power over the nations.

• The Lord will judge their enemies (see Micah 5:15) if they keep rebelling against him. However, the Lord's ultimate wish is to bless the nations, not to curse or destroy them (Genesis 12:3; Jonah 4:11; John 3:16).

The Lord’s actions, both for and against his people, cleanse them. He removed practices and objects that Israel had taken from the pagan cultures of Mesopotamia and Canaan.

sacred pillars … Asherah poles: Stones and trees were used for worship. They could symbolize pagan gods. The Asherah poles were green poles or trees representing the goddess Asherah and her fertility powers. The stones and trees might have had sexual meanings—one male, the other female. People viewed Asherah as the mother of gods and the partner of El or Baal.