New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Micah

Note Journal Prayer

5

:

2

“

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"But as for you, Bethlehem "place of bread," a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun Noun H1035 לֶ֣חֶם le·chem
Analysis:
Read more about: Bethlehem
Ephrathah, an Isr. woman, also the name of several places in Pal. Noun H672 אֶפְרָ֗תָה ef·ra·tah
Analysis:
Read more about: Ephratah
[Too] little little, insignificant, young Adjective H6810 צָעִיר֙ tza·'ir
to be among the clans a thousand Noun H505 בְּאַלְפֵ֣י be·'al·fei
of Judah, probably "praised," a son of Jacob, also his desc., the S. kingdom, also four Isr. Noun H3063 יְהוּדָ֔ה ye·hu·dah,
Analysis:
Read more about: Judah
From you One will go forth to go or come out Verb H3318 יֵצֵ֔א ye·tze,
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
for Me to be ruler to rule, have dominion, reign Verb H4910 מֹושֵׁ֖ל mo·v·shel
in Israel. "God strives," another name of Jacob and his desc. Noun H3478 בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל be·yis·ra·'el;
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
His goings forth going forth Noun H4163 וּמֹוצָאֹתָ֥יו u·mo·v·tza·'o·tav
are from long ago, front, east, formerly Noun H6924 מִקֶּ֖דֶם mik·ke·dem
From the days day Noun H3117 מִימֵ֥י mi·mei
of eternity." long duration, antiquity, futurity Noun H5769 עֹולָֽם׃ o·v·lam.

Locations

Bethlehem

BETHLEHEMbeth'-le-hem (bethlechem; Baithleem, or Bethleem, "house of David," or possibly "the house of Lakhmu," an Assyrian deity):I. Bethlehem Judah:Bethlehem Judah, or EPHRATH or EPHRATHAH (which see) is now Beit Lahm (Arabic = "house of meat"), a town of upward of 10,000 inhabitants, 5 miles South of Jerusalem and 2,350 ft. above sea level. It occupies an... View Details

Israel

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF" I. THE FIRST PERIOD1. The Two Kingdoms2. The Ist Dynasty3. The IInd Dynasty4. Civil WarII. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS1. The IIIrd Dynasty2. World-Politics3. Battle of Karkar4. Loss of Territory5. Reform of Religion6. Revolution7. The IVth Dynasty8. Renewed Prosperity9. AnarchyIII. DECLINE AND FALL1. Loss of Independence2. Decline3. Extinct... View Details

Judah

JUDAH, TERRITORY OF(yehudhah):I. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA1. The Natural Boundaries2. The Natural Divisions of Judah(1) The Maritime Plain(2) The Shephelah(3) The Hill Country of JudahII. THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND ITS TERRITORYIII. THE BOUNDARIES OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAHLITERATUREI. Geographical Data.Although the physical conformation of Western Palestine divides this l... View Details

People

Ephratah

Ephratah [N] [H] fruitful.  The second wife of Caleb, the son of Hezron, mother of Hur, and grandmother of Caleb, who was one of those that were sent to spy the land ( 1 Chronicles 2:19  1 Chronicles 2:50 ).    The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah ( Genesis 35:16  Genesis 35:19 ;  48:7 ). In  Ruth 1:2 it is called "Bethlehem-Judah,"... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."
King James Bible "But as for you, But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too Ephratah, though thou be little to be among the clans thousands of Judah, From you One will go yet out of thee shall he come forth for Me unto me that is to be ruler in Israel. His Israel; whose goings forth are have been from long ago, From the days of eternity."old, from everlasting.
Hebrew Greek English "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."