A reading from the book of Micah.

It shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills, and people shall flow to it, and many nations shall come and say, come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,

that he may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths, for out of Zion shall go forth

the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall

decide disputes for strong nations far away, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war

any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig tree, and no one shall

make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its God, but we will walk in the name of the Lord of hosts has spoken, for all the people's walk each in the name of its God,

but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. In that day declares the Lord,

I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted,

and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who are cast off, a strong nation,

and the Lord will reign

over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. And you, O Tower of the flock,

heel of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the

daughter of Jerusalem. Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished? That pain seized you like a woman in labor. Rithe and groan, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country. You shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued. There the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

Now many nations are assembled against you, saying let her be defiled and let our eyes gaze upon

Zion. But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord. They do not understand his plan, that he has

gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron,

and I will make your hoofs bronze. You shall beat in pieces many peoples, and shall devote their gain

to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops.

Siege is laid against us. With a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the

cheek. But you, O Bethlehem, Ephritha, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

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