People from many nations will worship at the Lord’s mountain
1In the last days the mountain where the LORD’s temple is located will be famous. It will be the highest mountain of all. It will be lifted up above the hills. And nations will go to it.2People from many nations will go there. They will say, ‘Come, let us go up to the LORD’s mountain. Let’s go to the temple of Jacob’s God. He will teach us how we should live. Then we will live the way he wants us to.’ The law of the LORD will be taught at Zion. His message will go out from Jerusalem.3He will judge between people from many nations. He’ll settle problems among strong nations everywhere. They will hammer their swords into ploughs. They’ll hammer their spears into pruning tools. Nations will not go to war against one another. They won’t even train to fight anymore.4Everyone will have their own vine and fig tree. And no one will make them afraid. That’s what the LORD who rules over all has promised.5Other nations worship and trust in their gods. But we will worship and obey the LORD. He will be our God for ever and ever.
The Lord’s plan
6‘The time is coming when I will gather those who are disabled,’ announces the LORD. ‘I will bring together those who were taken away as prisoners. I will gather those I have allowed to suffer.7I will make the disabled my faithful people. I will make into a strong nation those driven away from their homes. I will rule over them on Mount Zion. I will be their King from that time on and for ever.8Jerusalem, you used to be like a guard tower for my flock. City of Zion, you used to be a place of safety for my people. The glorious kingdom you had before will be given back to you. Once again a king will rule over your people.’9Why are you crying out so loudly now? Don’t you have a king? Has your ruler died? Is that why pain comes on you like the pain of a woman having a baby?10People of Zion, groan with pain. Cry out like a woman having a baby. Soon you must leave your city. You must camp in the open fields. You will have to go to the land of Babylon. But that’s where the LORD will save you. There he will set you free from the power of your enemies.11But now many nations have gathered together to attack you. They say, ‘Let Jerusalem be made “unclean”. We want to laugh when Zion suffers!’12But those nations don’t know what the LORD has in mind. They don’t understand his plan. He has planned to gather them up like bundles of corn. He has planned to take them to his threshing-floor.13The LORD says, ‘People of Zion, get up and crush your enemies. I will make you like a threshing ox. I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves. So you will crush many nations.’ They got their money in the wrong way. But you will set it apart to the LORD. You will give their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.
Micah 4
English Standard Version
The Mountain of the Lord
1It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, (Isa 2:2)2and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law,[1] and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.3He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; (Joe 3:10)4but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. (1Ki 4:25; Isa 1:20; Isa 17:2)5For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. (Jer 2:11; Zec 10:12)
The Lord Shall Rescue Zion
6In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; (Eze 11:17; Eze 34:16; Mic 4:1; Zep 3:19)7and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. (Ps 2:6; Isa 24:23; Da 7:14; Joe 2:32; Mic 2:12; Mic 5:7; Zep 2:7; Lu 1:33; Heb 12:22)8And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.9Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pain seized you like a woman in labor? (Isa 3:3; Jer 6:24; Jer 8:19)10Writhe and groan,[2] O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. (Isa 39:6; Isa 44:22; Mic 2:13; Joh 16:20)11Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” (Ob 1:12; Mic 7:10; Zec 12:3)12But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. (Isa 10:7; Joe 3:13; Hab 3:12; Mt 3:12; Lu 3:17)13Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and shall devote[3] their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. (Le 27:28; Ps 97:5; Isa 23:18)