Mikha 5:1
Konteks5:1 (4:14) 1 But now slash yourself, 2 daughter surrounded by soldiers! 3
We are besieged!
With a scepter 4 they strike Israel’s ruler 5
on the side of his face.
Matius 2:5-6
Konteks2:5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:
2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 6
Lukas 2:4
Konteks2:4 So 7 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth 8 in Galilee to Judea, to the city 9 of David called Bethlehem, 10 because he was of the house 11 and family line 12 of David.
[5:1] 1 sn Beginning with 5:1, the verse numbers through 5:15 in the English Bible differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 5:1 ET = 4:14 HT, 5:2 ET = 5:1 HT, 5:3 ET = 5:2 HT, etc., through 5:15 ET = 5:14 HT. From 6:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[5:1] 2 tn The Hebrew verb גָדַד (gadad) can be translated “slash yourself” or “gather in troops.” A number of English translations are based on the latter meaning (e.g., NASB, NIV, NLT).
[5:1] sn Slash yourself. Slashing one’s body was a form of mourning. See Deut 14:1; 1 Kgs 18:28; Jer 16:6; 41:5; 47:5.
[5:1] 3 tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”
[5:1] sn The daughter surrounded by soldiers is an image of the city of Jerusalem under siege (note the address “Daughter Jerusalem” in 4:8).
[5:1] 4 tn Or “staff”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “rod”; CEV “stick”; NCV “club.”
[5:1] sn Striking a king with a scepter, a symbol of rulership, would be especially ironic and humiliating.
[5:1] 5 tn Traditionally, “the judge of Israel” (so KJV, NASB).
[2:6] 6 sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.
[2:4] 7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
[2:4] 8 sn On Nazareth see Luke 1:26.
[2:4] map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:4] 9 tn Or “town.” The translation “city” is used here because of its collocation with “of David,” suggesting its importance, though not its size.
[2:4] 10 sn The journey from Nazareth to the city of David called Bethlehem was a journey of about 90 mi (150 km). Bethlehem was a small village located about 7 miles south-southwest of Jerusalem.
[2:4] map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:4] 11 sn Luke’s use of the term “house” probably alludes to the original promise made to David outlined in the Nathan oracle of 2 Sam 7:12-16, especially in light of earlier connections between Jesus and David made in Luke 1:32. Further, the mention of Bethlehem reminds one of the promise of Mic 5:2, namely, that a great king would emerge from Bethlehem to rule over God’s people.