Micah 5:8
in Micah 5Then 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 tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and there is none to deliver.
KJV
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
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This verse in Micah 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And the remnant of Jacob shall be as a young lion - o: “What more unlike than the sweetness of the dew and the fierceness of the lion? What so different as the gentle shower distilling on the herb, and the savageness or vehemence of a lion roaring among “the flocks of sheeps?” Yet both are ascribed to “the remnant of Jacob.” Why? Because the Apostles of Christ are both tender and severe, tender in teaching and exhorting, severe in rebuking and avenging.
This site's exposition
as a dew from the Lord
on Micah 5:7-8
The remnant of Jacob is pictured two ways in successive verses, first as a dew from the Lord and showers upon the grass, refreshment that comes without waiting on any man, and then as a lion among the beasts of the forest, treading down and tearing with none to deliver. The older writers read both images of the same remnant rather than two different groups, the same people a blessing to those who receive them and a judgment to those who resist. The pairing gives the remnant's future among the Gentiles both its gentlest and its fiercest face in the space of two verses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 7 onwards) And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or delay for the sons of men.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
15 ), as when the lion tears none can deliver. When infidelity is silenced, and all iniquity made to stop her mouth, when sinners are convinced and converted by the power of the gospel, in the doctrine of its ministers and the conversation of its professors, then the remnant of Jacob is like a lion.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
The Abasement and Distress of Zion; Birth of the Messiah Predicted; 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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:82%@v1-3
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people,.... The same persons are meant here as before; who are compared to dew and showers of rain, because numerous; and full of blessings in themselves, and useful and beneficial to others: and here are said to be as a lion among the beasts of the forest; strong, mighty, powerful, and courageous, and superior to their enemies, as the lion is strongest among beasts, and keeps all others in awe of him.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Judah will be "as as lion," not in respect to its cruelty, but in its power of striking terror into all opponents. Under the Maccabees, the Jews acquired Idumea, Samaria, and parts of the territory of Ammon and Moab [GROTIUS]. But this was only the earnest of their future glory on their coming restoration.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
As a lion - In this and the following verse the victories of the Maccabees are supposed to be foretold.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָה֩ | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| שְׁאֵרִ֨ית | sheerit | [the] remnant of | H7611 → | 66 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֜ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ | bekerev | in [the] midst of | H7130 → | 227 times |
| עַמִּ֣ים | ʾamim | peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רַבִּ֔ים | rabim | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| כְּאַרְיֵה֙ | kearyeh | like a lion | H738 → | |
| בְּבַהֲמ֣וֹת | bevahamot | among [the] animals of | H929 → | |
| יַ֔עַר | yaar | [the] forest | H3293 → | 59 times |
| כִּכְפִ֖יר | kikhfir | like a young lion | H3715 → | |
| בְּעֶדְרֵי | beedrei- | among flocks of | H5739 → | |
| צֹ֑אן | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִם | ʾim | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| עָבַ֛ר | ʾavar | it has passed through | H5674 → | 556 times |
| וְרָמַ֥ס | veramas | and it tramples | H7429 → | |
| וְטָרַ֖ף | vetaraf | and it tears | H2963 → | |
| וְאֵ֥ין | veein | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מַצִּֽיל׃ | matzil | [is] a deliverer | H5337 → | 212 times |
וְהָיָה֩and it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
שְׁאֵרִ֨ית[the] remnant of
sheeritH7611 →66 times
יַעֲקֹ֜בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
בַּגּוֹיִ֗םamong the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 times
בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙in [the] midst of
bekerevH7130 →227 times
עַמִּ֣יםpeoples
ʾamimH5971 →1873 times
רַבִּ֔יםmany
rabimH7227 →454 times
כְּאַרְיֵה֙like a lion
kearyehH738 →
בְּבַהֲמ֣וֹתamong [the] animals of
bevahamotH929 →
יַ֔עַר[the] forest
yaarH3293 →59 times
כִּכְפִ֖ירlike a young lion
kikhfirH3715 →
בְּעֶדְרֵיamong flocks of
beedrei-H5739 →
צֹ֑אןsheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
אֲשֶׁ֧רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אִםif
ʾimH518 →1069 times
עָבַ֛רit has passed through
ʾavarH5674 →556 times
וְרָמַ֥סand it tramples
veramasH7429 →
וְטָרַ֖ףand it tears
vetarafH2963 →
וְאֵ֥יןand there not
veeinH369 →789 times
מַצִּֽיל׃[is] a deliverer
matzilH5337 →212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 12:3On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:44
He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
- Zechariah 14:2–4
For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the…
- Daniel 2:34–35
As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.
- Matthew 21:44
Through
Psalms 50:22Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
it leads to
- Job 8:13
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
- Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget…
- Psalms 9:17
The wicked will return to Sheol— all the nations who forget God.
- Psalms 7:2
or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
- Job 8:13
Through
Micah 4:13Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD,…
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:15–16
Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.
- Isaiah 41:15–16
Where this verse is studied
About Micah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Micah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.