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God Promises a Ruler from Bethlehem
Micah 5.2-5a
Good News Translation (GNT)
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2 The Lord says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you
are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but
out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose
family line goes back to ancient times."
3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their
enemies until the woman who is to give birth
has her son. Then those Israelites who are in
exile will be reunited with their own people.
4 When he comes, he will rule his people with
the strength that comes from the Lord and
with the majesty of the Lord God himself.
His people will live in safety because people
all over the earth will acknowledge his
greatness,
5 and he will bring peace.
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Taken from 'word-on-the-web' supplied by the
Scripture Union
God Promises a Ruler from Bethlehem
Micah 5.2-5a
Micah lived at a tough time in the life of Judah.
Although things had not deteriorated to the extent that they had in the northern kingdom of Israel, injustice and oppression were rampant and disaster loomed.
But that's not the whole story. Beyond the disaster is hope. God will raise up a new king in the Davidic line (from Bethlehem) who will rule wisely and justly.
His origins are shrouded in mystery; this is God's king not just another descendant of David.
Micah sets no timescale for this king's arrival, but his listeners were encouraged to know that beyond God's punishment lay something better.
For Matthew, Jesus' birth is the ultimate fulfilment of Micah's prophecy; he is the ruler who was promised 700 years earlier.
He makes some changes that may seem strange to us.
Bethlehem Ephrathah becomes Bethlehem in the land of Judah.
Instead of being 'small', Bethlehem is 'by no means least'.
'Clans' becomes 'rulers'.
He omits the reference to mysterious origins and jumps to the start of Micah 5:4, although the quote is probably influenced by 2 Samuel 5:2
Most are insignificant.
Possibly Matthew was quoting from memory or using a different form of the Old Testament text.
The second is harder to explain.
Matthew may be using a traditional Jewish approach (called Midrash) which incorporated comment in the quoted text.
He wants us to see the true significance of Jesus' birth and this is a way of drawing attention to it.
His readers would have been familiar with this approach.
So Matthew brings out a whole new meaning - which was there all along, but which Micah would not have seen.
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