But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Beth-lehem Ephratah - (Genesis 48:7, where Jacob says, "Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath, and I buried her in the way of Ephrath: the same is Bethlehem"); or, "Bethlehem Judah," so called to distinguish it from Bethlehem in Zebulun. It is a few miles southwest of Jerusalem. Bethlehem means the house of bread; Ephratah means fruitful: both names referring to the fertility of the region.
Though thou be little among - though thou be scarcely large enough to be reckoned among, etc. It was insignificant in size and population; so that in Joshua 15:21, etc., it is not enumerated among the cries of Judah; nor in the list, Nehemiah 11:25, etc. Under Rehoboam it became a city (2 Chronicles 11:6, "He built Bethlehem"). In the scribes' quotation of Micah, in answer to Herod's inquiry, prompted by the wise men of the East, who asked, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" Matthew 2:6 seems to contradict Micah, "thou art not the least." But really he, by an independent testimony of the Spirit, confirms the prophet. Little in worldly importance, thou art not least (i:e., far from least, yea, the very greatest) among the thousands or princes of Judah, in the spiritual significance of being the birthplace of Messiah (John 7:42). God chooses the little things of the world to eclipse in glory its greatest things (Judges 6:15, The Lord looked upon Gideon, and said, "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel;" and Gideon said unto the angel of the Lord, "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house;" John 1:46; 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty"). The low state of David's line when Messiah was born is also implied here.
The thousands - each tribe was divided into clans, or "thousands" (each thousand containing a thousand families, like our old English division of counties into hundreds), which had their several heads or "princes;" hence, in Matthew 2:6 it is quoted "princes," substantially the same as in Micah, and authoritatively explained in Matthew. Since it is not so much this thousand that is preferred to the other thousands of Judah, but the Governor or Chief prince out of it who is preferred to the governors of all the other thousands. It is called a "town" (rather, in the Greek, 'village,' John 7:42); though scarcely containing a thousand inhabitants, it is ranked among the "thousands" or larger divisions of the tribe, because of its being the cradle of David's line, and of the Divine Son of David. Moses divided the people into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, with their respective "rulers" (Exodus 18:25: cf. 1 Samuel 10:19).
Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me - unto God the Father (Luke 1:32): to fulfill all the Father's will and purpose from eternity. So the Son declares (Psalms 2:7; Psalms 40:7-8; John 4:34); and the Father confirms it (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 12:18: cf. with Isaiah 42:1, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth"). God's glory is hereby made the ultimate end of redemption.
That is to be ruler - the "Shiloh," "Prince of peace," "on whose shoulders the government is laid" (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:6). In 2 Samuel 23:3, "He that ruleth over men must be just," the same Hebrew word х mowsheel (H4910)] is employed: Messiah alone realizes David's ideal of a ruler. Also in Jeremiah 30:21, "Their governor shall proceed from the midst of them;" answering closely to "Out of thee shall come forth the ruler," here (cf. Isaiah 11:1-4).
Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting - literally, from the days of eternity, or the days of the ages х miymeey (H3117) `owlaam (H5769)]. The plain antithesis of this clause, "come forth out of thee" (from Bethlehem), shows that the eternal generation of the Son is meant. The terms convey the strongest assertion of infinite duration of which the Hebrew language is capable (cf. Psalms 90:2; Proverbs 8:22-23; John 1:1). Messiah's generation as man, coming forth unto God, to do His will on earth, is from Bethlehem; but as Son of God His goings forth are from everlasting. The promise of the Redeemer at first was vaguely general (Genesis 3:15). Then the Shemitic division of mankind is declared as the quarter in which He was to be looked for (Genesis 9:26-27); then it grows clearer, defining the race and nation whence the Deliverer should come-namely, the seed of Abraham, the Jews (Genesis 12:3); then the particular tribe, Judah (Genesis 49:10); then the family, that of David (Psalms 89:19-20); then the very town of His birth, here: and as His coming drew nigh, the very parentage (Matthew 1:1-25; Luke 1:1-2); and then all the scattered rays of prophecy concentrate in Jesus as their focus (Hebrews 1:1-2).