¹sn 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.
²tn The same Hebrew verb, dd~g` (g`d^d) 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).
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.
³tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”
sn The daughter surrounded by soldiers is an image of the city of Jerusalem under siege (note the address “Daughter Jerusalem” in 4:8).
⁴tn Or “staff.”
sn Striking a king with a scepter, a symbol of rulership, would be especially ironic and humiliating.
⁵tn Traditionally, “judge.”
⁶sn Ephrathah is either an alternate name for Bethlehem or the name of the district in which Bethlehem was located. See Ruth 4:11.
map For location of Bethlehem see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
⁷tn Heb “being small.” Some omit toyh=l! (l!hyot, “being”) because it fits awkwardly and appears again in the next line.
⁸tn Heb “from you for me one will go out to be a ruler over Israel.”
⁹tn Heb “his goings out.” The term may refer to the ruler’s origins or to his activities.
¹⁰tn Heb “from the past, from the days of antiquity.” Elsewhere both phrases refer to the early periods in the history of the world or of the nation of Israel. For <d\Q#m! (m!Q\d#<, “from the past”) see Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10. For <l*ou ym@ym! (m!m@ uol*<, “from the days of antiquity”) see Isa 63:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mic 7:14; Mal 3:4. In Neh 12:46 and Amos 9:11 the Davidic era is in view.
sn In riddle-like fashion this verse alludes to David, as the references to Bethlehem and to his ancient origins/activities indicate. The passage anticipates the second coming of the great king to usher in a new era of national glory for Israel. Other prophets are more direct and name this coming ideal ruler “David” (Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos 3:5). Of course, this prophecy of “David’s” second coming is actually fulfilled through his descendant, the Messiah, who will rule in the spirit and power of his famous ancestor and bring to realization the Davidic royal ideal in an even greater way than the historical David (see Isa 11:1, 10; Jer 33:15).
¹¹tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹²tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people of Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹³tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
¹⁴sn The woman in labor. Personified, suffering Jerusalem is the referent. See 4:9-10.
¹⁵sn Gives birth. The point of the figurative language is that Jerusalem finally finds relief from her suffering. See 4:10.
¹⁶tn Heb “his”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹⁷tn Heb “to the sons of Israel.” The words “be reunited with” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
sn The rest of the king’s brothers are the coming king’s fellow Judahites, while the sons of Israel are the northern tribes. The verse pictures the reunification of the nation under the Davidic king. See Isa 11:12-13; Jer 31:2-6, 15-20; Ezek 37; Hos 1:11; 3:5.
¹⁸tn Heb “stand up.”
¹⁹tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
²⁰tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”
²¹tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps Wbv*y`w+ (w+y`v*bW, “and they will live”) should be emended to Wbvw (“and they will return”).
²²tn Heb “be great.”
²³tn Or “to the ends of.”
²⁴tn Heb “and this one will be peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).
²⁵tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to Wntmdab.
²⁶tn Heb “raise up.”
²⁷sn The numbers seven and eight here symbolize completeness and emphasize that Israel will have more than enough military leadership and strength to withstand the Assyrian advance.
²⁸tn Heb “shepherds.”
²⁹tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”
³⁰tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”
³¹sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.
³²tc The MT reads “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to hjytpb (“with a drawn sword”).
³³tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
³⁴tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).
³⁵tn Heb “will be.”
³⁶tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”
sn Men wait eagerly for the dew and the rain, not vice versa. Just as the dew and rain are subject to the Lord, not men, so the remnant of Israel will succeed by the supernatural power of God and not need the support of other nations. There may even be a military metaphor here. Israel will overwhelm their enemies, just as the dew completely covers the grass (see 2 Sam 17:12). This interpretation would be consistent with the image of v. 7.
³⁷tn The words “its prey” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
³⁸tn Heb “and there is no deliverer.”
³⁹tn Heb “let your hand be lifted against your adversaries.”
⁴⁰tn Heb “be cut off.”
⁴¹tn Heb “cut off” (also in the following verse).
⁴²tn The precise meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain, but note its use in Isa 47:9, 12.
⁴³tn Heb “and you will not have omen-readers.”
⁴⁴tn Or “Asherah poles.”
sn Asherah was a Canaanite goddess.
⁴⁵tn The MT reads “your cities,” but many emend the text to iyrx (“your images”) or iybxu (“your idols”).
⁴⁶tn Heb “I will accomplish in anger and in rage, vengeance on the nations who do not listen.”