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.
Fathers and councils · 21
Origen
“…the thousands of Judah: for out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who is to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.”” — editor's note: Cf. Mic. v. 2. and Matt. ii. 6.
Read the whole comment- Origen, De Principiis IV.1Book IV
“Even the place of His birth was predicted in the prophecies of Micah, who said, “And thou, Bethlehem, land of Judah, art by no means small among the leaders of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a Leader, who shall rule My people Israel.”” — editor's note: Cf. Mic. v. 2 with Matt. ii. 6.
Read the whole comment - Origen, De Principiis IV.2Book IV
“The place also of His birth has been foretold in (the prophecies of) Micah: “For thou, Bethlehem,” he says, “land of Judah, art by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Ruler, who shall rule My people Israel.”” — editor's note: Cf. Mic. v. 2 with Matt. ii. 6.
Read the whole comment
Cyril of Jerusalem
“Out of thee shall come forth unto Me a Ruler, who shall feed My people Israel: and His goings forth are from the beginning, from days of eternity.” — editor's note: Micah v. 2; on the various readings ὀλγιοστὸς εἶ, μὴ ὀλ, εἶ οὐκ ὀλ. εἶ, found in the mss. of Cyril, see the Commentaries on the quotation of the passage in…
Read the whole comment“For out of thee shall come forth unto Me a ruler, to be governor in Israel: and His goings forth are front the beginning, from the days of eternity.” — editor's note: Micah v. 2, quoted also in Cat. xi. 20, where see note.
Read the whole comment
Eusebius of Caesarea
“…Egypt came to an end, that our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, according to the prophecies which had been uttered concerning him.” — editor's note: Micah v. 2.
Read the whole comment“When he learned that the prophecy of Micah announced that Bethlehem was to be his birthplace he commanded, in a single edict, all the male infants in Bethlehem, and all its borders, that were two years…” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Justin Martyr
“…thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art by no means least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall go forth the leader who shall feed my people.’” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Theodoret of Cyrus
“So too the Prophet Micah and the evangelist Matthew.” — editor's note: Micah v. 2
Read the whole comment“Thus through Micah God says “Thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel, whose goings forth have been as of old from everlasting.”” — editor's note: Matt. ii. 6 and Mic. v. 2
Read the whole comment
John Chrysostom
“This belief at least prevailed among the Jews, and the Prophet had proclaimed it of old, saying, “And thou, Bethlehem, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall feed My people Israel.” ( Matt. ii. 6; Mic. v. 2.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“…prophecies; whereof one was uttered by Micah, saying, “And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah;”and the other by the patriarch Jacob, distinctly marking out to us the time, and setting forth the great sign of His coming.” — editor's note: Micah v. 2.
Read the whole comment“For surely “his goings forth” were not “from of old, from everlasting.”” — editor's note: Micah v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The following is the sense of the prophecy. Thou, Bethlehem, of the land of Judah, or Ephrata, (which is added to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in Galilee,) though thou art a small village among the thousand…
Read the whole comment
Jerome
“You will be more surprised still at the difference in words and order between Matthew and the Septuagint if you look at the Hebrew which runs thus:—“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.”” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment“Therefore wilt thou 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.”” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2, 3: Cf. Matt. ii. 6.
Read the whole comment
Ephrem the Syrian
“The word that Micah once spake, to-day was come indeed to pass!” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Gregory of Nazianzus
“…advantage over us, the little ones of the smallest of all the tribes of Israel, of the least of the thousands of Judah, of the little Bethlehem among cities, where Christ was born and is from the beginning well-known and worshipped; amongst those whom the Father is exalted, and the Son is held to be equal to Him,…” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Leo the Great
“…which says: “And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, art not least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a leader to rule My people Israel,” how easy and how natural it was that the leading men among the Hebrews should believe what they taught!” — editor's note: Micah v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Augustine of Hippo
“And He shall stand, and see, and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, and in the dignity of the name of the Lord His God: for now shall He be magnified even to the utmost of the earth.”” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2–4.
Read the whole comment
Cyprian of Carthage
“Out of thee shall He come forth to me, that He may be a prince in Israel, and His goings forth from the beginning from the days of old.”” — editor's note: Mic. v. 2.
Read the whole comment
Cross-references · 38
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.13.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.13 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 2:3–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 2:3–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 2:3–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 2:3–6 (2) (Catena Aurea) and 1 other place.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Church History I.8.
Cited together in Church History I.8.
Cited together in Church History I.8.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.51.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.51.
Cited together in Church History I.5.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.51.
Cited together in Church History I.5.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 34.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 78.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 78.
Cited together in Orations Oration 3.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 78.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.30.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.30.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.30.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.30.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.30.
Cross-reference given by the World English Bible's translators.
Cross-reference given by the World English Bible's translators.