The Meaning of Micah 5:8 Explained

Micah 5:8

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.

YLT: Yea, the remnant of Jacob hath been among nations, In the midst of many peoples, As a lion among beasts of a forest, As a young lion among ranks of a flock, Which if it hath passed through, Hath both trodden down and hath torn, And there is no deliverer.

Darby: 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.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Micah 5:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Micah 5:1-15 - The Deliverer From Bethlehem
This name for Bethlehem recalls Genesis 48:7. Though insignificant in size she would outshine her compeers, because of Messiah's birth, Matthew 2:6. As man, our Lord comes from David's city; but as Son of God, His goings forth are from eternity. Though the Jewish flock rejected Him, He is the Shepherd of men. He is great to the ends of the earth, and has made peace by the blood of His Cross. What though the Assyrian, whether ancient or modern, threaten us, shepherds and princes shall be raised up as delivers, Micah 5:5. The ranks of the democracy hold within themselves unbounded stores of leadership. God's people refresh the world like dew, and are lionlike in strength and courage, Micah 5:8. Horses, chariots, and walled cities, are classed with witchcrafts, etc., because they weaned away the trust of God's people. "Thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands." [source]

Chapter Summary: Micah 5

1  The birth of Christ
4  His kingdom
8  His conquest

What do the individual words in Micah 5:8 mean?

And shall be the remnant of Jacob among the Gentiles in the midst of peoples many Like a lion among the beasts of the forest Like a young lion among flocks of sheep who if he passes through and both treads down and tears in pieces and none can deliver
וְהָיָה֩ שְׁאֵרִ֨ית יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּאַרְיֵה֙ בְּבַהֲמ֣וֹת יַ֔עַר כִּכְפִ֖יר בְּעֶדְרֵי‪‬‪‬ צֹ֑אן אֲשֶׁ֧ר אִם עָבַ֛ר וְרָמַ֥ס וְטָרַ֖ף וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל

וְהָיָה֩  And  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שְׁאֵרִ֨ית  the  remnant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שְׁאֵרִית  
Sense: rest, residue, remainder, remnant.
יַעֲקֹ֜ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם  among  the  Gentiles 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
עַמִּ֣ים  of  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּ֔ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
כְּאַרְיֵה֙  Like  a  lion 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
בְּבַהֲמ֣וֹת  among  the  beasts 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
יַ֔עַר  of  the  forest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.
כִּכְפִ֖יר  Like  a  young  lion 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּפִיר 
Sense: young lion.
בְּעֶדְרֵי‪‬‪‬  among  flocks 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֵדֶר  
Sense: flock, herd.
צֹ֑אן  of  sheep 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
עָבַ֛ר  he  passes  through 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
וְרָמַ֥ס  and  both  treads  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָמַס  
Sense: to trample.
וְטָרַ֖ף  and  tears  in  pieces 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָרַף  
Sense: to tear, rend, pluck.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  none 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מַצִּֽיל  can  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.