Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion.”
- BSB But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”
- NKJV Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.”
- NASB “And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be defiled, And let our eyes gloat over Zion!’
- NLT Now many nations have gathered against you. “Let her be desecrated,” they say. “Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Many nations gather against Zion, gloating and hoping to see her defiled. It sets the stage of hostile opposition against God's people.
Overview
The enemies assemble with malicious intent, eager to defile and triumph over Zion. Their confidence seems unstoppable from a human viewpoint. Yet, as the next verse shows, they fail to grasp that they are unwittingly serving God's larger purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Obad 1:12But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
- Mic 7:10Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
- Isa 5:25–30Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
- Isa 8:7–8Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
- Lam 2:15–16All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
- Joel 3:2–15I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
- Jer 52:4And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.
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Christ at the center
Micah names the town — 'But you, Bethlehem... from you shall come forth one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origins are from of old' — the birthplace of the eternal King.
How Micah 4:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.