Old Testament Commentary - Micah 5

by Don R. Hender

Only is clearly associating Jesus Christ of the house of David with being of Ephraim and thus counted as being a part with his brethren of the scattered remnant of Joseph can the fuller meanings and significance of this Messianic chapter and its prophecies of the birth of Christ and the latter-day kingdom of Israel under Joseph's promised seed, Christ and those of Christ's church, can it be appreciated.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

           CHAPTER 5
Messiah shall be born in Beth-lehem—In the last days the remnant of Jacob shall triumph gloriously over the Gentiles.
Messiah shall be born in Beth-lehem Ephratah meaning that Bethlehem of Ephraim—In the last days that remnant of Jacob amid the Gentiles, which is that remnant of Israel as headed by Ephraim, shall triumph gloriously over the enemies and adversaries of the Lord.

1 NOW gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But thou, **^aBeth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of ^bJudah^a**, yet out **of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ^cruler in Israel^b; whose goings forth have been from of old, from ^aeverlasting^c**.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the ^aremnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel^a.
**2^a Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah The honor and glory of the house of David had diminished greatly. No longer was there any to come upon the throne of Judah out of the house of David since Jehoiachin because of that 'curse' upon David's house. In the days of Herod and before, no rulers or kings of Judah were of that house of royal Ephraim as none were born of Jehoiachin. He had no seed. Where then did Matthew present the royal ancestry to the Jews? He had to have adopted into the house of Jehoiachin those who were nearest of kin, those of the house of Nathan, the brother of Solomon who was also born of Bathsheba (See Genealogy in Luke 3). But the seed of David was 'little' among Judah. Those of 'Bethlehem Ephraim' were a bare remnant of Ephraim amid the thousands of Jews (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph). And yes, here it is presented that Bethlehem was a city divided, those of Ephraim of the house of Joseph as associated with the city as it was the burial place of Rachel the mother of that house and thouse who occupied it who were of Judah, as Judah was the primary resident of the lands of Judaea. And herein is hide the remnant which servived in Judah, that special remnant which was actually of Joseph unto the preservation of the promises of the covenant of the firstborn of Israel which was known and proclaimed to be Ephraim of Joseph (Jeremiah 31:9 & D&C 27:10).
2^b of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Of that tiny remnant of Ephraim of Bethlehem Ephraim was to come forth the Messiah, the true ruler in Israel, meaning the Kingdom of Israel, which is the kingdom of and under Ephraim, NOT Judah.
2^c whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting Jehovah stands from all eternity to all eternity, this is that 'everlasting' refered to here. He was 'Firistborn' in the spirit and thus he stood from that our beginning of his generation from that beginning from all eternity. And he remains until the end when his generation passes through him and his final judgment into eternity again, having departed from this realm of the ages of time. For there is no time marked in eternity as such is marked with beginning and end as there is of the estates of man from that first birth of Jehovah until the end of his work pertaining to 'his generation'.
3^a then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel This statement is made in a very particular manner which is peculiar to that people, that remnant who is of the true brethren of the Lord, and that is those of the house of Joseph, that remnant of Joseph which shall return not only unto but as the children of Israel, having been so scattered throughout the earth in the nations of the Gentiles. Thus herein is made a particular testimony of that relationship between Jesus Christ, the house of David and its relationship to the peculiar remnant of the house of Joseph which has that great work to perform in conjunction with the restoration and the gospel going forth into all the world. 4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a** TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

4 ¶ And he shall stand and ^afeed in the ^bstrength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5 And this man shall be the ^apeace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds^a, and eight principal men.
6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of ^aNimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
5^a seven shepherds in the concept of the 'seven shepherds' may be seen a similitude represented by the seven candlesticks or lamps of the temple menorah. These seven dispensation heads consist of such as Adam, Noah, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith. As to the eight principle men, one might think in terms of such as Peter, James and John, Elijah, John the Baptist and other such great prophets who were to serve particular missions but were not dispensation heads. 4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD^a, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.
8 ¶ And the ^aremnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles^a in the midst of many people as a ^blion among the beasts of the forest, as a young ^clion among the flocks of ^dsheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver^a.
9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
7^a the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD This particular remnant of Jacob is none other than that remnant of the seed of Joseph upon whom rest the position and responsibility of blessing the nations of the earth according to and in compliance with the promises of the father, the covenant of Abraham.
8^a the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles This is precisely where the renmant of the seed of Joseph, primarily represented by Ephraim is and has been; sprinkled among the nations of the Gentiles. This is absolute consistent with the teachings of the scriptures of the Book of Mormon, that record which currently is presented to and represents to the world the stick of Ephraim, the stick of Joseph.
8^b if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver This is precisely that prophecy which is stated in terms of the remnant of Joseph of which the Book of Mormon people were and are a part of. 4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5
   ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah
5^a TG Nature, Earth
   ^b TG Spirit Creation
   ^c TG Creation
   ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of
   ^e Moses 3:5

10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy ^ahorses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more ^asoothsayers:

13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
14 And I will pluck up thy ^agroves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 5 Messiah shall be born in Beth-lehem—In the last days the remnant of Jacob shall triumph gloriously over the Gentiles.	Messiah shall be born in Beth-lehem Ephratah meaning that Bethlehem of Ephraim—In the last days that remnant of Jacob amid the Gentiles, which is that remnant of Israel as headed by Ephraim, shall triumph gloriously over the enemies and adversaries of the Lord.
1 NOW gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2 But thou, *^aBeth-lehem Ephratah, though* thou be little among the thousands of ^bJudah^a*, yet* out *of thee shall he come forth unto me that is* to be ^cruler in Israel^b; whose goings forth have been from of old, from ^aeverlasting^c*. 3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that* she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the ^aremnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel^a.	*2^a Beth-lehem Ephratah, though* thou be little among the thousands of Judah The honor and glory of the house of David had diminished greatly. No longer was there any to come upon the throne of Judah out of the house of David since Jehoiachin because of that 'curse' upon David's house. In the days of Herod and before, no rulers or kings of Judah were of that house of royal Ephraim as none were born of Jehoiachin. He had no seed. Where then did Matthew present the royal ancestry to the Jews? He had to have adopted into the house of Jehoiachin those who were nearest of kin, those of the house of Nathan, the brother of Solomon who was also born of Bathsheba (See Genealogy in Luke 3). But the seed of David was 'little' among Judah. Those of 'Bethlehem Ephraim' were a bare remnant of Ephraim amid the thousands of Jews (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph). And yes, here it is presented that Bethlehem was a city divided, those of Ephraim of the house of Joseph as associated with the city as it was the burial place of Rachel the mother of that house and thouse who occupied it who were of Judah, as Judah was the primary resident of the lands of Judaea. And herein is hide the remnant which servived in Judah, that special remnant which was actually of Joseph unto the preservation of the promises of the covenant of the firstborn of Israel which was known and proclaimed to be Ephraim of Joseph (Jeremiah 31:9 & D&C 27:10). 2^b of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Of that tiny remnant of Ephraim of Bethlehem Ephraim was to come forth the Messiah, the true ruler in Israel, meaning the Kingdom of Israel, which is the kingdom of and under Ephraim, NOT Judah. 2^c whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting Jehovah stands from all eternity to all eternity, this is that 'everlasting' refered to here. He was 'Firistborn' in the spirit and thus he stood from that our beginning of his generation from that beginning from all eternity. And he remains until the end when his generation passes through him and his final judgment into eternity again, having departed from this realm of the ages of time. For there is no time marked in eternity as such is marked with beginning and end as there is of the estates of man from that first birth of Jehovah until the end of his work pertaining to 'his generation'. 3^a then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel** This statement is made in a very particular manner which is peculiar to that people, that remnant who is of the true brethren of the Lord, and that is those of the house of Joseph, that remnant of Joseph which shall return not only unto but as the children of Israel, having been so scattered throughout the earth in the nations of the Gentiles. Thus herein is made a particular testimony of that relationship between Jesus Christ, the house of David and its relationship to the peculiar remnant of the house of Joseph which has that great work to perform in conjunction with the restoration and the gospel going forth into all the world.	4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
4 ¶ And he shall stand and ^afeed in the ^bstrength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. 5 And this man shall be the ^apeace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds^a, and eight principal men. 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of ^aNimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.	5^a seven shepherds in the concept of the 'seven shepherds' may be seen a similitude represented by the seven candlesticks or lamps of the temple menorah. These seven dispensation heads consist of such as Adam, Noah, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith. As to the eight principle men, one might think in terms of such as Peter, James and John, Elijah, John the Baptist and other such great prophets who were to serve particular missions but were not dispensation heads.	4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD^a, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. 8 ¶ And the ^aremnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles^a in the midst of many people as a ^blion among the beasts of the forest, as a young ^clion among the flocks of ^dsheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver^a. 9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.	7^a the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD This particular remnant of Jacob is none other than that remnant of the seed of Joseph upon whom rest the position and responsibility of blessing the nations of the earth according to and in compliance with the promises of the father, the covenant of Abraham. 8^a the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles This is precisely where the renmant of the seed of Joseph, primarily represented by Ephraim is and has been; sprinkled among the nations of the Gentiles. This is absolute consistent with the teachings of the scriptures of the Book of Mormon, that record which currently is presented to and represents to the world the stick of Ephraim, the stick of Joseph. 8^b if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver This is precisely that prophecy which is stated in terms of the remnant of Joseph of which the Book of Mormon people were and are a part of.	4^a Moses 3:4-5; Abr. 5:4-5 ^b TG Jesus Christ—Jehovah 5^a TG Nature, Earth ^b TG Spirit Creation ^c TG Creation ^d TG Man, Physical Creation of ^e Moses 3:5
10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy ^ahorses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: 11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds: 12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more ^asoothsayers:
13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. 14 And I will pluck up thy ^agroves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. 15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.