Michaeas 5

Micheas 5

The birth of Christ in Bethlehem: his reign and spiritual conquests.

Nunc vastaberis, filia latronis. Obsidionem posuerunt super nos: in virga percutient maxillam judicis Israël.

Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

Daughter of the robber: Some understand this of Babylon; which robbed and pillaged the temple of God: others understand it of Jerusalem; by reason of the many rapines and oppressions committed there.

Et tu, Bethlehem Ephrata, parvulus es in millibus Juda; ex te mihi egredietur qui sit dominator in Israël, et egressus ejus ab initio, a diebus æternitatis.

And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.

His going forth: That is, he who as man shall be born in thee, as God was born of his Father from all eternity.

Propter hoc dabit eos usque ad tempus in quo parturiens pariet, et reliquiæ fratrum ejus convertentur ad filios Israël.

Therefore will he give them up even till the time wherein she that travaileth shall bring forth: and the remnant of his brethren shall be converted to the children of Israel.

Et stabit, et pascet in fortitudine Domini, in sublimitate nominis Domini Dei sui: et convertentur, quia nunc magnificabitur usque ad terminos terræ.

And he shall stand, and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the height of the name of the Lord, his God: and they shall be converted, for now shall he be magnified even to the ends of the earth.

Et erit iste pax: cum venerit Assyrius in terram nostram, et quando calcaverit in domibus nostris, et suscitabimus super eum septem pastores et octo primates homines;

And this man shall be our peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall set his foot in our houses: and we shall raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

The Assyrian: That is, the persecutors of the church: who are here called Assyrians by the prophet: because the Assyrians were at that time the chief enemies and persecutors of the people of God.
Seven shepherds: That is, the pastors of God's church, and the defenders of the faith. The number seven in scripture is taken to signify many: and when eight is joined with it, we are to understand that the number will be very great.

et pascent terram Assur in gladio, et terram Nemrod in lanceis ejus, et liberabit ab Assur cum venerit in terram nostram, et cum calcaverit in finibus nostris.

And they shall feed the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nemrod with the spears thereof: and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our borders.

They shall feed: They shall make spiritual conquests in the lands of their persecutors, with the word of the spirit, which is the word of God. Eph. 6.17.

Et erunt reliquiæ Jacob in medio populorum multorum quasi ros a Domino, et quasi stillæ super herbam, quæ non exspectat virum, et non præstolatur filios hominum.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, as a dew from the Lord, and as drops upon the grass, which waiteth not for man, nor tarrieth for the children of men.

The remnant of Jacob: That is, the apostles, and the first preachers of the Jewish nation; whose doctrine, like dew, shall make the plants of the converted Gentiles grow up, without waiting for any man to cultivate them by human learning.

Et erunt reliquiæ Jacob in gentibus, in medio populorum multorum, quasi leo in jumentis silvarum, et quasi catulus leonis in gregibus pecorum, qui cum transierit, et conculcaverit, et ceperit, non est qui eruat.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forests, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, when he shall go through, and tread down, and take there is none to deliver.

As a lion: This denotes the fortitude of these first preachers; and their success in their spiritual enterprises.

Exaltabitur manus tua super hostes tuos, et omnes inimici tui interibunt.

Thy hand shall be lifted up over thy enemies, and all thy enemies shall be cut off.

Et erit in die illa, dicit Dominus: auferam equos tuos de medio tui, et disperdam quadrigas tuas.

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will take away thy horses out of the midst of thee, and will destroy thy chariots.

I will take away thy horses: Some understand this, and all that follows to the end of the chapter, as addressed to the enemies of the church. But it may as well be understood of the converts to the church: who should no longer put their trust in any of these things.

Et perdam civitates terræ tuæ, et destruam omnes munitiones tuas: et auferam maleficia de manu tua, et divinationes non erunt in te:

And I will destroy the cities of thy land, and will throw down all thy strong holds, and I will take away sorceries out of thy hand, and there shall be no divinations in thee.

et perire faciam sculptilia tua et statuas tuas de medio tui, et non adorabis ultra opera manuum tuarum:

And I will destroy thy graven things, and thy statues, out of the midst of thee: and thou shalt no more adore the works of thy hands.

et evellam lucos tuos de medio tui, et conteram civitates tuas.

And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: and will crush thy cities.

Et faciam, in furore et in indignatione, ultionem in omnibus gentibus quæ non audierunt.

And I will execute vengeance in wrath, and in indignation, among all the nations that have not given ear.

Michaeas 5

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