John Trapp on Micah 5:2

Verſe 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah] Not ſo called from Ephratah, Calebt wife, 1 Chron. 2.19, 50, 51. but from its fruitfulneſſe: whence alſo it had the name Bethlehem, Joh. 6. that is, the houſe of bread, where Jeſus, (that Bread of life, that came down from heaven) was born in the fulneſſe of time, as is here firſt foretold by this Prophet: that great myſtery of godlineſſe being revealed to the world by degrees, in ſeverall Ages. Here was Chriſt born by meer accident; in regard of his parents, who were brought hither by a tyrannicall Edict of Auguſtus, Luk. 2.2. but yet by a ſweet providence of God, that this Scripture might be fulfilled, and our faith in Chriſt ſetled.

Though thou be little among the thouſands of Iudah] Or, Art thou little, &c? q.d. No ſuch matter: and ſo it agreeth with Mat. 2.6. Or thus: And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, it is a ſmall thing to be among the Princes of Judah: Out of thee ſhall come a Ruler, &c. q. d thou haſt a dignity above this, and above them all, in that out of thee ſhall come a Ruler, &c. Take tſagnir in the Neuter gender, (as Scultetus after Oſiander, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and Forſter doth) and then the [illegible: 1 letter]eeming difference betwixt the Prophet and Evangeliſt is taken away. Some make St. Matthew to relate the words of the Scribes to Herod, as they had varied the Text before him. But we finde not that they are any where taxed for altering or corrupting the Text; but for miſinterpreting it onely, Mat. 5. Beſides that, they were by their office Text-men, to look to the letter of the Scripture, and to keep it pure, 1 Cor. 1 20. where they are diſtinguiſhed from teachers of traditions, and teachers of Allegories.

yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me] that is, to God the Father: that we may know that the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, was a plot of Gods own contriving. He came not by c[illegible: 3 letters]ce, but by counſel: him hath God the Father ſealed, anointed and appointed to the work.Joh. 6.27. This is comfortable to conſider of.

that is to be Ruler in Iſrael] Matthew rendereth it, a Captain that ſhall feed my people Iſrael, Mat. 2.6. See the Note there.

whoſe goings forth have been from of old] This is ſpoken of Chriſts eternal generation, which none can declare, Eſay 53.8. What is Gods name, and what is his Sons name, if thou canſt tell? Prov. 30.4. The Scripture uſually ſpeaketh of this grand Myſtery by way of circumlocution. It is here ſpoken of in the Plurall number for the excellency of it.Adoro pl[illegible: 1 letter]ni [illegible: 1 letter]udinem ſcripturarum. Aug. In this Text then we have a deſcription of Chriſt, in his natures and offices. See the like, Rom. 1.3, 4. and adore the fulneſſe of the Scriptures.