2:6

Verse 2:6 contains a figure of speech called apostrophe. In this figure of speech, God speaks to the town of Bethlehem as if it were a person.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

• Keep the apostrophe as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Translate it in a way that God is speaking to the people of the town. For example:

6aYou ⌊people of⌋ Bethlehem in the land of Judah, 6b⌊your town⌋ is by no means least among the towns of Judah, 6cfor out of your ⌊town⌋ will come a ruler 6dwho will be the shepherd of my people Israel.

• Translate it in a way that God is speaking indirectly about the town. For example:

But Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, it is by no means least among the leading towns of Judah; for out of it will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.

2:6a

But: In the Greek, this verse begins with a conjunction that is usually translated as “And.” In Matthew, only part of a longer passage from Micah is quoted. In that longer passage, there is contrast. However, here in Matthew, the incomplete quote indicates no contrast. Only the Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, and the New Century Version translate the conjunction as But. Most other versions, such as the Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible, have “and.” Still others, such as the Good News Translation, do not use a conjunction here.

Since Matthew quotes only part of Micah, you may leave this conjunction untranslated.

you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah: In some languages, it will be more natural to put the pronoun you at the end of this clause. For example:

Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you

the land of Judah: The phrase the land of Judah refers to the country/kingdom of Judah. When the prophet Micah wrote these words, Judah was a kingdom. When Jesus was born, this area was no longer its own country. It had become a province and was then called Judea (2:5a). If possible, Judah and Judea should be spelled differently in your language.

2:6b

are by no means least: The phrase are by no means least is a figure of speech called litotes. In this figure of speech, God through the prophet makes an emphatic statement. He does this by stating that the opposite is not true. Bethlehem is not the least important town. This is a way to emphasize that Bethlehem is an important town.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Keep the apostrophe of 2:6 and the litotes here in 2:6b. For example:

are not least (New Living Translation (2004))

• Keep the apostrophe but not the litotes. For example:

you are very important (Contemporary English Version)

• Keep neither the apostrophe nor the litotes. For example:

you people are in a very important town

among the rulers of Judah: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rulers refers to a person who rules over a province. God was speaking to Bethlehem as if it were a person, so he referred to Bethlehem as a ruler of Judah.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Keep the apostrophe. For example:

among the leaders of Judah (God’s Word)

• Do not keep the apostrophe. In that case, you should translate the word rulers as towns/cities. For example:

of the leading cities of Judah (Good News Translation)
-or-
among the great towns of Judah

2:6c

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for indicates that 2:6c is the reason for what was said in 2:6b. 6bBethlehem is not the least among the towns of Judah, 6cfor/because a ruler will come from Bethlehem.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

because
-or-
The reason is that

In some languages, it is more natural to translate 2:6c (the reason clause) before 2:6b (the result clause). For example:

6cout of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. 6b⌊So⌋ you, Bethlehem, are by no means least among the towns of Judah.

out of you will come a ruler: This clause indicates that a ruler or “great leader” will be born in Bethlehem.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

From your town will come a leader (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
It is from you that a ruler will come

2:6d

who will be the shepherd: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be the shepherd also means “tend.” It refers to watching over, protecting, and leading animals to places where there are plants to eat. Here it is used figuratively to represent a leader who watches over, protects, and provides for his people.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

• Literally, as a verb or noun. For example:

will shepherd (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
will be the shepherd (New Living Translation (2004))

• With a simile. For example:

will be like a shepherd (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
will lead…like a shepherd

• Without the figure of a shepherd. For example:

will guide (Good News Translation)

My people: The pronoun My refers to God. It does not refer to the prophet Micah.

Israel: The word Israel refers to the people who were the descendants of the man whose name was Israel. (This man was first called Jacob.)

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the descendants of Israel
-or-
the tribe/nation of Israel

-or-

the Israelites

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