Micah 5:2

KJV1611 – Modern English

But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origins have been from of old, from everlasting.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לָכֵ֣ן יִתְּנֵ֔ם עַד־עֵ֥ת יוֹלֵדָ֖ה יָלָ֑דָה וְיֶ֣תֶר אֶחָ֔יו יְשׁוּב֖וּן עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Transliteration

lākēn yittənēm until-ʿēt yôlēdâ yālādâ wə-yeter ʾeḥāyw yəšûbûn upon-bənê yiśrāʾēl

Grammar Details

• *lākēn*: adverb - therefore/thus
• *yittənēm*: imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - he will give them
• *ʿēt*: noun, feminine singular construct - time of
• *yôlēdâ*: participle, feminine singular - one giving birth/woman in labor
• *yālādâ*: perfect, 3rd person feminine singular - she has given birth
• *wə-yeter*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular construct - and remainder of
• *ʾeḥāyw*: masculine plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his brothers
• *yəšûbûn*: imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they will return
• *bənê*: masculine plural construct - sons of/children of
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel

Word Meanings

• *yittənēm*: he will give them up/he will abandon them/he will deliver them
• *yôlēdâ*: woman in labor/one who gives birth
• *yeter*: remainder/remnant/rest
• *yəšûbûn*: they will return/they will turn back/they will be restored

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Therefore, he will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth, and the rest of his brothers will return to join the children of Israel.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But thou, Beth-lehem 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And thou Bethleem Ephrata, art litle amonge the thousandes off Iuda, Out off the shal come one vnto me, which shall be ye gouernoure i Israel: whose outgoinge hath bene from the begynnynge, and from euerlastinge.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And thou Beth-leem Ephrathah art litle to bee among the thousandes of Iudah, yet out of thee shall he come forth vnto me, that shalbe the ruler in Israel: whose goings forth haue bene fro the beginning and from euerlasting.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And thou Bethlehem Ephrata art little among the thousandes of Iuda, out of thee shal he come foorth vnto me which shalbe the gouernour in Israel, whose out going hath ben from the beginning, and from euerlasting.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Being small among the clans of Judah, Out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And thou, Beth-Lehem Ephratah, Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From thee to Me he cometh forth -- to be ruler in Israel, And his comings forth `are' of old, From the days of antiquity.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, [ from everlasting.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For this cause he will give them up till the time when she who is with child has given birth: then the rest of his brothers will come back to the children of Israel.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  A King Will Come and a Remnant Will Prosper(5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah– from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.

Referenced Verses

• Matt 2:6 : 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a Governor who shall rule my people Israel.
• John 7:42 : 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
• Isa 11:1 : 1 And there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow from his roots:
• Isa 9:6-7 : 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
• Zech 9:9 : 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and endowed with salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.
• Luke 1:31-33 : 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
• Gen 49:10 : 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him shall the gathering of the people be.
• 1 Sam 17:12 : 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years.
• Ps 90:2 : 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
• Gen 35:19 : 19 And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
• Gen 48:7 : 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
• Matt 28:18 : 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to me in heaven and on earth.
• Isa 53:2 : 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground: he has no form or beauty; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
• Ruth 4:11 : 11 And all the people at the gate and the elders said, 'We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem.
• 1 Sam 8:12 : 12 And he will appoint captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and equipment for his chariots.
• 1 Sam 10:19 : 19 And you have this day rejected your God, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
• Exod 18:21 : 21 Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place them over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
• Exod 18:25 : 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
• Deut 1:15 : 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and known men, and made them leaders over you, captains over thousands, captains over hundreds, captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
• Ps 102:25-27 : 25 Of old you have laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They shall perish, but you shall endure; yes, all of them shall grow old like a garment; as a cloak you shall change them, and they shall be changed. 27 But you are the same, and your years shall have no end.
• Ps 132:6 : 6 Behold, we heard of it at Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of the woods.
• Prov 8:22-23 : 22 The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was.
• 1 Sam 17:18 : 18 Carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand and see how your brothers fare and take their pledge.
• 1 Sam 23:23 : 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.
• 1 Chr 2:50-51 : 50 These were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal, the father of Kirjath Jearim, 51 Salma, the father of Bethlehem, Hareph, the father of Beth Gader.
• 1 Chr 2:54 : 54 The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
• 1 Chr 4:4 : 4 And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.
• 1 Chr 5:2 : 2 For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and from him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's.
• Jer 13:5-6 : 5 So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.
• Jer 30:21 : 21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall come from among them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach me: for who is he who devoted his heart to approach me? says the LORD.
• Ezek 17:22-24 : 22 Thus says the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar and will set it; I will crop off from the top of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high and prominent mountain: 23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs and bear fruit and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shadow of its branches shall they dwell. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.
• Ezek 34:23-24 : 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
• Ezek 37:22-25 : 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall no more be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And my servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever.
• Amos 9:11 : 11 In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.
• Luke 2:4-7 : 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David) 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 And it was so, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to deliver. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
• Luke 23:2 : 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this man misleading the nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, claiming that He is Christ, a King.
• Luke 23:38 : 38 And an inscription was also written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
• John 1:1-3 : 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made.
• John 19:14-22 : 14 And it was the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour: and he said to the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away. 17 And he, bearing his cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing said, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 This title many of the Jews read, for where Jesus was crucified was near the city: and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written.
• 1 Cor 1:27-28 : 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are:
• Col 1:17 : 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
• Heb 7:14 : 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
• Heb 13:8 : 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• 1 John 1:1 : 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life;
• Rev 1:11-18 : 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace; and his voice like the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he who lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
• Rev 2:8 : 8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life;
• Rev 19:16 : 16 And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
• Rev 21:6 : 6 And he said to me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.