Micah was also written during the period of troubles with Assyria. Here is an outline with all the most important verses quoted.
· Exiles return / New king: 2.12-13: “12. I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. 13. One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, YHWH at their head.”
· The Mountain of YHWH and the rule of the Torah: 4.1-5 = Isaiah 2.2-4: 4.1. In the last days the mountain of YHWH's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. 2. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHWH, to the house of the God/Elohim of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of YHWH from Jerusalem. 3. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 4. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for YHWH of armies has spoken. 5. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods/elohim; we will walk in the name of YHWH our God/Elohim for ever and ever.
· Remnant/Exiles return: 4.6-7: 4.6. “In that day,” declares YHWH, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. 7. I will make the lame a remnant, those driven away [I will make into] a strong nation. YHWH will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever."
· Former Dominion Restored: 4.8 As for you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”
· A new king from the house of David will govern, will collect the gathered returning exiles, will establish peace in the land, and will deliver the people from Assyrian invaders; all foes will be destroyed (5.1-9): 5.1. Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. 2. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,[1] though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from ancient times.” 3. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 4. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of YHWH, in the majesty of the name of YHWH his God/Elohim. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the land. 5. And he will be their peace. When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. 6. They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he invades our land and marches into our borders. 7. The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from YHWH, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. 8. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. 9. Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
o Again, early Christians, like the writer of Mt 2.6, took 5.2 apart from the historical and literary context, suggesting that it referred to Jesus.
[1] Used as a symbol for the house of David, since David was anointed in Bethlehem in the Book of Samuel.