But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be (b) little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose (c) goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting.
(b) For so the Jews divided their country that for every thousand there was a chief captain: and because Bethlehem was not able to make a thousand, he calls it little. But yet God will raise up his captain and governor in it: and thus it is not the least by reason of this benefit. See Matthew 2:6
(c) He shows that the coming of Christ and all his ways were appointed by God from all eternity.