Micah 5:2 (WEB)
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Micah 5:2–3 (KJV)
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
Key words
- בֵּית־לֶחֶם אֶפְרָתָהBeth-lechem Ephrathah · Hebrew
- 'Bethlehem Ephratah' — the town of David, and the place where Rachel died in childbirth (Genesis 35:19).
- מוֹשֵׁלmoshel · Hebrew
- 'ruler' — the coming king whose origins are 'from everlasting.'
- יוֹלֵדָה יָלָדָהyoledah yaladah · Hebrew
- 'she which travaileth hath brought forth' (v. 3) — the ruler's birth is tied to a mother in labour.
Why it matters
Micah foretells that the ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem and links his coming to the moment when 'she who is in travail' gives birth. Pitre observes that the prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace is also, from the start, a prophecy about his mother. The Bethlehem setting further connects the Messiah's mother with Rachel, who died giving birth on the road to Bethlehem.