Mi-chê 4

The mountain of the LORD’s house

¹In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house will stand firm, the chief of all the mountains, \q rising high above the hills, \q and peoples will stream toward it.^{a 2}Nations in great numbers will set out, saying, “Come, let us climb to the mountain of the LORD, up to the house of Jacob’s God, \q so that he may show us his ways and we may walk on his paths.” \q For instruction will go out from Zion, \q and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ³He will be judge between many peoples \q and settle the cases of mighty nations far away. \q They will hammer their swords into plow blades and their spears into knives for pruning. \q No nation will raise the sword against another, \q and they will no longer learn how to wage war. ⁴Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, with no one to frighten them, \q for the mouth of the LORD of Armies has spoken. ⁵All the peoples may walk, \q each in the name of its own god, \q but we will walk in the name of our God, the LORD, for all time to come.

The LORD will gather the lame

⁶On that day, declares the LORD, I will gather those who limp; \q I will bring together the scattered, \q those I have brought harm on. ⁷I will make the lame into a remnant \q and those driven far off into a strong nation, \q and the LORD will reign over them on Mount Zion \q from now on and forever.

The former rule will return

⁸And you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, to you it will come: \q the former rule will return, \q the kingdom of Daughter Jerusalem.^{b 9}Now, why do you cry out so loudly? \q Is there no king among you? Has your adviser died, \q that pain grips you like a woman in labor? ¹⁰Writhe and groan, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, \q for now you must leave the city and camp in the open country. You will go to Babylon, and there you will find rescue. \q There the LORD will redeem you \q from the grasp of your enemies. ¹¹But now many nations are gathered against you. \q They say, “Let her be profaned, \q and let our eyes gloat over Zion!” ¹²But they do not know what the LORD has in mind; \q they do not understand his plan, \q that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. ¹³Rise up and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hoofs of bronze, \q and you will crush many peoples. \q You will devote their plunder to the LORD, \q their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.^{c 14}Now gash yourself in grief, daughter of raiders; \q a siege has been laid against us. \q With a rod they strike the ruler of Israel \q on the cheek.^de