(Continued-Chapter V-The Noonday Radiance of Messianic Glory)

Micah's testimony finds corroboration in the oracle delivered by his predecessor, the prophet Amos. In his prediction Amos (9:7-10) uses the names Israel and Jacob in referring to the whole nation of Israel which he declares God will sift among all peoples but will preserve the faithful. Finally, He will purge the nation of all sinners. When it has been thus purified the Lord will again raise up the house of David which has long been in a state of decay. "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old" (Amos 9:11).

From the considerations discussed above we learn that the prophets foresaw the time when the kings of Judah would cease to reign over the nation. In the imagery of Amos, we would say that the Davidic house would fall into decay and ruin. Though it would cease to function in its official capacity, it would not be blotted out but would continue in obscurity at the ancient ancestral home of its illustrious founder.

Micah's reference to Bethlehem's insignificance furnishes a suitable background for the prediction concerning Messiah. Men think in terms of comparisons; they appreciate values largely by comparison and contrast. Therefore with the background of Bethlehem's insignificance and from the ruins of the Davidic house, arises the sublime figure of Israel's future ruler. His greatness is shown by the marked contrast between His native environment and His sublime personality. Therefore the representation of His rising from the wrecked house of David in the obscure hamlet of Bethlehem is both a prophecy of His coming into the world and at the same time a parabolic presentation of His towering above the wreckage of centuries and of His mastery of the world situation.

The expression לִי יֵצֵא here does not indicate descent, as it does in Genesis 17:6, for example, although some scholars have contended for such an interpretation. The context in Genesis demands this shade of meaning. On the contrary its significance here may be illustrated by Jeremiah 30:21: "and their ruler מוֹשֵׁל shall proceed from the midst of them." The parallel structure is conclusive on this point. The thought is that the ruler proceeds out of their midst in the sense of his being of the same nationality and stock. This idiom also occurs in Zechariah 10:4.

In speaking for God the prophet declares that this ruler shall come forth לִי to me. This statement probably is an echo of the Lord's language to Samuel (I Sam. 16:1): "I have provided me a king among his sons." His use of this phrase doubtless reflects the typical character of David's reign in foreshadowing that of Messiah. It also indicates that Messiah performs a special and vital part in the development of God's plan.

The noun מוֹצָאָה, the feminine of מוֹצָא may, according to its context, denote "the place, the time, the mode, or the act of going forth" The first three meanings do not accord with the facts of this context, whereas the last one, which is fully attested by Hosea 6:3; I Kings 10:28; Ezekiel 12:4; and II Samuel 3:25, blends perfectly with the flow of thought. This context demands simply the plain meaning of the term, the act of going forth. Therefore I accept its primary and ordinary significance in this connection.

The expressions עוֹלָם and קֶּדֶם are used to indicate ancient times, as may be seen in 7:14,20 of this same book. Frequently they have this significance. Both terms occur in Isaiah 51:9 for the sake of emphasis. Again, we note the fact that they appear together in Proverbs 8:22,23, a passage which undoubtedly refers to eternity before the creation. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning. Before the earth was מִקֶּדֶם indicating the eternity of God, occurs in Habakkuk 1:12. Moses (Ps. 90:2) affirmed the eternity of God, past and future, in the following words :וּמֵעוֹלָם עַד־עוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל "Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." A noted thinker declared, "man, who lives in time, and is bound to time in his mode of thought, can only picture eternity to himself as time without end." Since these expressions have the two distinct meanings, it becomes necessary to examine the context in a given case to determine their significance. What is the meaning in the passage under consideration?

Irrespective of the choice of definition in this oracle, the statement, "whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting," assumes the preexistence of this ruler before his appearance in Bethlehem. The heathen doctrine of reincarnation finds no support in the utterances of Moses and the prophets. In fact, their teaching refutes such pagan ideas. Therefore, since this promised Ruler has made previous appearances (the context indicates that the coming here foretold is in the same category as the former ones--the ancient theophanies--without affirming the method of approach), since the prophet assumed on the part of his audience a knowledge of these historic facts, and since the only superhuman appearances in the Biblical record are those of the Angel of the Lord, who, as we saw in chapter two, is the Lord Himself, the only conclusion to be drawn from all the facts is that this oracle foretells the Lord's appearance upon this earth to rule Israel. עוֹלָם and קֶּדֶם, therefore, in this connection connote eternity. The facts of the context point to the one conclusion, namely, that this ruler is to be the Lord who makes His appearance upon earth at the obscure hamlet of Bethlehem. In striking contrast with the insignificance of His ancestral village is His own greatness.

In the last section we saw that the prophecy foretold the appearance of God upon earth as Israel's Ruler, Messiah. This conclusion is confirmed by the following statement: "And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God" (vs. 4). The king of Israel performing his regal functions is frequently spoken of as a shepherd (cf. II Sam. 5:2). The strength with which the Messiah executes His royal decrees is not simply divine authority similar to that with which earthly rulers are empowered, "but גְּאוֹן i.e., the exaltation or majesty of the name of Jehovah, the majesty in which Jehovah manifests His deity on earth."

This prediction is seen to be in perfect harmony with the former oracles which have already been studied. The one item which it adds to the information gleaned from the prophecies already examined is the place at which Messiah will make his advent into the world. Isaiah had already told of His virgin birth. It was left for Micah to name the place of this epochal event. The date of His birth was reserved for a later time, as we shall see in the fourth book of this series.

III. MISCELLANEOUS MESSIANIC PREDICTIONS

In this chapter I have discussed the two principal messianic predictions coming from the period under review--the Book of Immanuel (Isa. 7-12), and the oracle concerning the Ruler from Bethlehem (Mic. 3-5). In these prophecies Messiah stands before us in His glorious divinity and His perfect humanity. There is little left to add to the portrait which the inspired artists have painted for us. The reader, however, will welcome a few finishing touches from the brushes of other divinely chosen men of God. On account of the limited space a brief discussion of each passage to be reviewed must suffice.

A. Messianic Psalms
1. Psalm Two

In Psalm two occurs a definite prediction of political and religious conditions which have developed only in our day and time--widespread atheism and international political relations. According to verse two there will be held an international, atheistic, religio-political convention which will meet for the express purpose of suppressing the religion of the one true God, who revealed Himself to Moses as יְהוָה the Lord, and of His Messiah. (For the implications of this verse, see Messiah: His First Coming Foretold which is the fourth book of this series.) In this great future convention a motion will be put before the house and passed to outlaw allegiance to God and His Messiah (vs. 3). According to vss. 4-6, God will, notwithstanding the action of this conference, set His King upon the holy mountain of Zion. The Messiah is God's King, as we have often seen during this discussion, against whom this atheistic conference takes action but whom God installs as King of the world. The entire historical background and the drift of this passage demand the identification of the Messiah as the King who is to be installed as the world Ruler.

In vss. 7-9 the psalmist impersonates the Messiah. In his dramatization he represents the Messiah as quoting a promise made to Him by the Almighty:

"I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said unto me, Thou art my son;
This day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance,
And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

In this passage God addresses Messiah thus: בְּנִי אַתָּה "thou art my son" and upon that basis states that the nations of the earth are to be His inheritance. As God's Son He is the natural heir to His father's estate, the world and its kingdoms. Since there can be only one who can inherit a given possession, Messiah evidently is the Son of God in a unique sense. The faithful people of God are in an accommodated sense often called children or sons of God but never in the sense of this passage.

From the last section of the psalm it is evident that the Son is put on an equality with God in the appeals for the rulers to serve the Lord and to kiss the Son. The latter exhortation, being addressed to heathen kings and rulers, is expressed in terms readily understandable by them. (Compare Hosea's statement: "Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves" 13:2.) The expression, "kiss the son," has by some been rendered "do homage in purity." This translation has been made possible only by wrenching it from its context and by forcing upon it an unnatural meaning. In the beginning of the poem the prediction is made concerning the shocking action that this international convention of atheists will take against both God and His Messiah, who is, according to the psalm, God's Son. In the concluding exhortation the inspired writer pleads with these foolish kings and rulers not to take the contemplated action but rather to serve God with reverence and to worship His Son. The development of the prophecy identifies the Lord and His Messiah, mentioned in the beginning of the poem, with God and His Son, spoken of in the latter part. Therefore the Messiah is in a special sense the Son of God. This conclusion is confirmed by the precious promise in the last line, "Blessed are all they that take refuge in Him." The antecedent of him is Son in the first line of the verse. A curse is pronounced by Jeremiah upon all who put their trust in man; but a blessing is here offered to all who trust in this man. Hence the Son, who is a man, is more than a man; He is the God-man, the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world.

2. Psalm One Hundred and Ten

By inspiration of the Divine Spirit David was given a glimpse into the future and saw one whom he addressed as Lord. In most of his psalms David blended the accounts of his own personal experiences with those of the Messiah whom he typified. In Psalm 110, however, he clearly distinguished between the Great Messiah and himself.

Speaking dramatically, one would say that, when the curtain rises in this poem, the scene is laid in Jerusalem. Messiah is seen in the midst of enemies who are bitterly opposed to Him. The Lord in glory speaks to Him, inviting Him to leave Zion with its opposition, to ascend to His right hand, and to take His seat there until His enemies are put under His feet. When they are thus conquered, Messiah will return and be welcomed by the Hebrew race. Then He will exert His great power and rule over the nations.

The one point bearing on our question is that which concerns the nature of King Messiah. The Bible is an oriental book in which the customs and ideals of the ancient East are reflected. In David's day a king invited only a person of equal rank to take a seat at his right hand. The language of the prediction in the light of this ancient custom constitutes an affirmation to the effect that the Lord God Almighty recognizes Messiah as His equal. This fact shows that David recognized the divine nature of King Messiah. (For a full discussion of Psalm 110 see the third book in this series.)

B. Predictions in Isaiah
1. The Branch of the Lord

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה צֶמַח יְהוָה לִצְבִי וּלְכָבוֹד וּפְרִי הָאָרֶץ לְגָאוֹן וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת לִפְלֵיטַת יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

"In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel" (Isa. 4:2).

The germinal thought from which this and the other "branch" passages are developed is II Samuel 23:5. כִּי־לֹא יַצְמִיחַ "Although he maketh it not to grow." As was noted in the discussion of David's swan song it is fashioned after the model of Balaam's predictions, especially the last one (Num. 24:15f). Our study of those passages revealed the fact that the subject of discussion was the Ruler who comes out of Jacob and from the house of David. Isaiah's use of the noun shows clearly that it is but the development of the embryonic idea expressed in the verb צָמַח used by David. Balaam's original oracle foretold the coming of the star out of Jacob, this king of kings, in the remote future. The Davidic passage reiterates this thought but expresses it under the figure of a sprouting seed or plant. Hence, in order to indicate the fact that the rise of this king was in the distant future, he declared that the Lord was not then causing this plant to shoot forth. In vision, however, he did see Him come forth, for he said that all of his salvation and delight were in this coming one.

In the light of David's statement it is evident that Isaiah's oracle is an expansion of the former's utterance concerning the coming of this righteous world Ruler. Therefore Isaiah's prediction is a Hebrew parallelism. A recognition of this fact gives us the proper clue to the correct interpretation. The phrase, צֶמַח יְהוָה the Branch of the Lord, therefore, refers to the divine nature of this coming ruler, whereas the parallel expression פְרִי אָדָם fruit of the land calls attention to His human nature. The prediction, therefore, foretells the time when the remnant of Israel which survives the purging judgments given in chapter two shall unanimously and enthusiastically accept its divine-human Ruler, Messiah.

2. The Lord--Israel's Judge, Lawgiver and King

מֶלֶךְ בְּיָפְיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ תִּרְאֶינָה אֶרֶץ מַרְחַקִּים... כִּי אִם־שָׁם אַדִּיר יְהוָה לָנוּ מְקוֹם־נְהָרִים יְאֹרִים רַחֲבֵי יָדָיִם בַּל־תֵּלֶךְ בּוֹ אֳנִי־שַׁיִט וְצִי אַדִּיר לֹא יַעַבְרֶנּוּ׃ כִּי יְהוָה שֹׁפְטֵנוּ יְהוָה מְחֹקְקֵנוּ יְהוָה מַלְכֵּנוּ הוּא יוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ׃

"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold a land that reacheth afar . . . But there the Lord will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For יְהוָה is our judge יְהוָה lawgiver, יְהוָה is our king; he will save us" (Isa. 33:17,21,22).

In vss.1-16 of this chapter the prophet describes the time of Jacob's trouble (cf. Jer. 30:7). The first verse quoted above is a prediction concerning the appearance of Zion's King in her midst. Special attention is called to the fact that he shall be in his beauty. At that time the land will not be in its present condition but shall undergo changes, for "they shall behold a land that reacheth afar."

According to vs. 20 Jerusalem at that time will be a quiet habitation. The reason assigned is that the Lord Himself will be there. He it is who will be the judge, the lawgiver, and the king. The fact that this prediction was made when the Shekinah of Glory was still resting over the mercy-seat in the temple shows that this oracle foretells God's coming and dwelling in Jerusalem in a new way. The facts of the context indicate a personal residence. Hence we naturally interpret the prophecy as a definite forecast of the visible presence of God in Israel as her judge, lawgiver, and king.

3. Israel's Shepherd King

עַל הַר־גָּבֹהַ עֲלִי־לָךְ מְבַשֶּׂרֶת צִיּוֹן הָרִימִי בַכֹּחַ קוֹלֵךְ מְבַשֶּׂרֶת יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָרִימִי אַל־תִּירָאִי אִמְרִי לְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃ הִנֵּה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה בְּחָזָק יָבוֹא וּזְרֹעוֹ מֹשְׁלָה לוֹ הִנֵּה שְׂכָרוֹ אִתּוֹ וּפְעֻלָּתוֹ לְפָנָיו׃ כְּרֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ יִרְעֶה בִּזְרֹעוֹ יְקַבֵּץ טְלָאִים וּבְחֵיקוֹ יִשָּׂא עָלוֹת יְנַהֵל׃

"O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young" (Isa. 40:9-11).

The significance of this quotation can be understood only by noting the development of the thought beginning with vs.1 of this chapter. In the first two verses the prophet looks forward to the time when Israel's warfare will be nearing accomplishment. He sees certain ones who have a message of comfort for the people. Hence he urges them to give consolation to the nation. Then he sees a herald arise who announces the appearance of the glory of God upon earth which will be seen by all nations at the same time. In the next paragraph (vss. 6-8) the prophet turns his gaze toward a discouraged messenger to whom the call has come to preach to Israel and who replies, in substance, that there is no need since man is like the withering grass and the fading flowers. The divine answer is for him to give forth his message because the Word of God abides forever. In the following paragraph (vss. 9-11) Isaiah urges the herald who has good news for Zion to deliver it with strength and power. Then will be no time for uttering a message with indefiniteness and in a half-hearted manner.

The substance of the oracle that is to bring comfort and good cheer to suffering Israel is contained in the verses at the beginning of this section. "Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him." Since God at the time of this oracle was dwelling in the midst of Israel in the form of the Shekinah, it is evident that the prediction speaks of the coming of God to Israel in a new way--His coming personally as a mighty warrior to take vengeance upon the nation's enemies and to reward his faithful servants. At that time He will shepherd the chosen people.

This God whose coming the heralds are to announce to Zion is He who by his great wisdom and mighty power created the heavens and the earth and who can and will deal with the nations the enemies of Israel, as easily as one can remove the small dust from the balances (vss. 12-17). He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth (vs. 22) and in whose sight the nations are as grasshoppers. Therefore no one can fashion an image to represent Him. The coming of this mighty God to Jerusalem is the message of comfort that the heralds are urged to speak to the chosen people. It is He who stops all wars (Ps. 46:8-11) and restores the nation to its native land and to fellowship with God.

C. The Prediction of Zephaniah

הֵסִיר יְהוָה מִשְׁפָּטַיִךְ פִּנָּה אֹיְבֵךְ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל | יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּךְ לֹא־תִירְאִי רָע עוֹד׃ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יֵאָמֵר לִירוּשָׁלִַם אַל־תִּירָאִי צִיּוֹן אַל־יִרְפּוּ יָדָיִךְ׃ יְהוָה אֱלֹהַיִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּך גִּבּוֹר יוֹשִׁיעַ יָשִׂישׂ עָלַיִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָה יַחֲרִישׁ בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ יָגִיל עָלַיִךְ בְּרִנָּה׃

"The Lord hath taken away they judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph. 3:15-17).

When one follows the rule of taking every word at its primary, ordinary, literal meaning if the context permits, he has no difficulty in understanding the message of these verses. Since there is nothing in the connection to indicate a figurative or symbolic interpretation, I shall follow this safe rule and understand that this passage foretells the coming of God to dwell personally in Jerusalem. When He comes in fulfillment of this prediction Israel's sorrows will be turned into gladness. In order that the reader may see the force of the oracle in these verses, I will quote the passage in full.

"Therefore wait ye for me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nation, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy dongs, wherein thou has transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee; to whom the burden upon her was a reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth. At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord" (Zeph. 3:8-20).

בָּעֵת הַהִיא יִקְרְאוּ לִירוּשָׁלִַם כִּסֵּא יְהוָה וְנִקְווּ אֵלֶיהָ כָל־הַגּוֹיִם לְשֵׁם יְהוָה לִירוּשָׁלִָם וְלֹא־יֵלְכוּ עוֹד אַחֲרֵי שְׁרִרוּת לִבָּם הָרָע׃

"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart" (Jer.3:17).

In the 14th verse of this passage the Lord extends an invitation to backsliding Israel to return; in the next verse He promises to give her true shepherds who will feed her with knowledge; and in the following statement He informs the remnant that, when it returns and He fulfills the promises, the ark of the covenant shall never again be mentioned. The reason for its passing out of existence and of its being no longer remembered is that Jerusalem will become the throne of the Lord. The expression, "name of the Lord," according to the familiar idiom occurring frequently, is used personally to indicate the visible presence of the Lord in Jerusalem. The Holy City will be the center of world-interest. The peoples of earth will flow there continually to appear before the Lord, and to be taught of Him personally.

2. The Righteous Branch of the House of David

הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וַהֲקִמֹתִי לְדָוִד צֶמַח צַדִּיק וּמָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ וְהִשְׂכִּיל וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בָּאָרֶץ׃ בְּיָמָיו תִּוָּשַׁע יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח וְזֶה־שְּׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרְאוֹ יְהוָה צִדְקֵנוּ׃

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: the Lord our righteousness" (Jer. 23:5,6).

The future Ruler of Israel and Judah, according to this prediction, is called "a righteous Branch" of the house of David. He is to mount the throne and reign in righteousness and justice. The secret of His just and impartial reign is that He is "the Lord our righteousness." Against this position it is sometimes urged that Jerusalem is to be called by the same name (Jer. 33:16). Therefore, since the inhabitants of the city will be men in the flesh, the name, "the Lord our righteousness," when applied to the coming ruler, does not indicate that He is divine. This argument has a semblance of plausibility, when the context is ignored. On the other hand, when one observes the rule of taking each word at its ordinary, literal meaning if possible, the truth immediately becomes apparent. In the preceding verse the promise concerning this righteous ruler is a repetition of the verses under consideration. It is impossible for one to reign in the absolute sense of the term unless He is what His name indicates, namely, the Lord in human form. That He will come and assume human form and reign over Israel has been abundantly proved from the predictions already studied. Hence in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we are forced to accept the ordinary meaning when the name is applied to the Messiah of Israel.

But why will the city be called by the name of its Ruler? For the same reason the capital of the United States of America was given its present name--in honor of its first president. Jerusalem at that time shall be given the name of the great King who shall reign there in person. Therefore the objection loses its force.

3. Israel's Priest King

וְהָיָה אַדִּירוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וּמֹשְׁלוֹ מִקִּרְבּוֹ יֵצֵא וְהִקְרַבְתִּיו וְנִגַּשׁ אֵלָי כִּי מִי הוּא־זֶה עָרַב אֶת־לִבּוֹ לָגֶשֶׁת אֵלַי נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃

"And their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is he that hath had boldness to approach unto me? saith the Lord" (Jer. 30:21).

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