Zechariah 9

1 A word of the Lord: The Lord has come to the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is his resting-place: for the towns of Aram are the Lord's,

[This is another] message [that I received] from Yahweh. [Yahweh said, ] “I watch [MTY] everyone, especially the tribes of Israel; [so] I will [punish the people in] the Hadrach [region] and in Damascus [city] [because of what they did to the people of Israel].

2 As well as Hamath, which is by its limit, and Tyre and Zidon, because they are very wise.

[I will also punish the people in] nearby Hamath [city]. I will also [punish the people in] Tyre and Sidon [cities], even though they are [considered to be] [IRO] very wise.

3 And Tyre made for herself a strong place, and got together silver like dust and the best gold like the earth of the streets.

[The people in] Tyre built a high wall [around their city]. They piled up [huge amounts of] silver and gold as though they were [piles of] dirt in the streets.

4 See, the Lord will take away her heritage, overturning her power in the sea; and she will be burned up with fire.

But [I], Yahweh, will cause their precious possessions to be taken away and all their ships to be destroyed, and their city will be destroyed by a fire.

5 Ashkelon will see it with fear, and Gaza, bent with pain; and Ekron, for her hope will be shamed: and the king will be cut off from Gaza, and Ashkelon will be unpeopled.

[The people in Ashkelon city] will see that [happen], and they will become very afraid. [The people in] Gaza [city] will shake because of being terrified, and [the people in Ekron city] will shake too, because they will no longer expect [to prosper]. The king of [the city of] Gaza will be killed, and [the city of] Ashkelon will be deserted.

6 And a mixed people will be living in Ashdod, and I will have the pride of the Philistines cut off.

Foreigners will occupy Ashdod [city]. I will cause the [people in all those cities of] Philistia to no longer be proud.

7 And I will take away his blood from his mouth, and his disgusting things from between his teeth; and some of his people will be kept for our God: and he will be as a family in Judah, and Ekron as one living in Jerusalem.

I will no longer allow them to eat [MTY] meat that still has blood in it, and I will forbid them to eat [MTY] food that I [MTY] have not allowed them to eat [because it was offered to idols]. [At that time, ] the people [in Philistia] who survive will worship me, and they will become [my people, like] the people of Judah are. The Philistine people of Ekron will also become my people like [SIM] the people of Jebus did [when they were conquered].

8 And I will put my forces in position round my house, so that there may be no coming and going: and no cruel master will again go through them: for now I have seen his trouble.

I will protect my temple, and I will not allow any [enemy soldiers] to enter it. No [enemies] will harm my people again, because I will be watching [over my people] carefully.

9 Be full of joy, O daughter of Zion; give a glad cry, O daughter of Jerusalem: see, your king comes to you: he is upright and has overcome; gentle and seated on an ass, on a young ass.

Rejoice very much, [you people of] Jerusalem [APO, DOU] and shout joyfully, because your king will be coming to you. He is righteous and victorious; [but he will be] gentle, and [he will be] riding on a donkey, on a young female donkey.

10 And he will have the war-carriage cut off from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be cut off: and he will say words of peace to the nations: and his rule will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

I will get rid of the chariots in the Ephraim [region that are used in battles] and [all] the war horses in Jerusalem. [All] the bows used in wars will be broken. [Your king] will proclaim that he will cause things to go well and peacefully in the nations. He will rule [the area] from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Dead] Sea, and from the [Euphrates] River to the most distant places on the earth.

11 And as for you, because of the blood of your agreement, I have sent out your prisoners from the deep hole in which there is no water.

As for you [my people of Jerusalem], because of the blood [of the animals that were sacrificed to make] my agreement with you, I will free your people who were forced to go to other countries where [it was as though they were kept] in a waterless pit.

12 And they will come back to you, O daughter of Zion, as prisoners of hope: today I say to you that I will give you back twice as much;

[You people who were] prisoners [in those countries] who [still] confidently expect [God to help you], return to [Judah], where you will be safe. This day I declare that I will give you two blessings for [each of the troubles that you have experienced].

13 For I have made Judah a bow bent for my use, I have made Ephraim the arrows of the bow; I will make your sons, O Zion, take up arms against your sons, O Greece, and will make you like the sword of a man of war.

I will cause Judah to be like [MET] my bow, and I will cause Israel to be [like] [MET] my arrow. I will enable you young men of Jerusalem to fight against the soldiers of Greece; you will be like [SIM] a warrior’s sword.”

14 And the Lord will be seen over them, and his arrow will go out like the thunder-flame: and the Lord God, sounding the war-horn, will go in the storm-winds of the South.

[Some day] Yahweh will appear [in the sky] above his people, and the arrows that he shoots will be like [SIM] lightning. Yahweh [our] Lord will blow his trumpet, and he will march [fiercely] like [MET] the storms from the south.

15 The Lord of armies will be a cover for them; and they will overcome, crushing under foot the armed men; they will take their blood for drink like wine: they will be full like the sides of the altar.

The Commander of the armies of angels will protect [his people]; [the soldiers of Judah] will attack and defeat [their enemies who attack them] using slingshots. [Those soldiers of Judah] will drink and celebrate and shout like [SIM] people who are drunk; they will be as full [of wine] as the bowl that holds [the blood of the animals that are sacrificed] and [which is then] sprinkled on the corners of the altar.

16 And the Lord their God will be their saviour in that day, giving them food like the flock of his people: for they will be like the jewels of a crown shining over his land.

On that day, Yahweh our God will save his people [like a shepherd saves] his flock [of sheep from danger]. In their land, they will be like [SIM] jewels that sparkle on a crown.

17 For how good it is and how beautiful! grain will make the young men strong and new wine the virgins.

They will be delightful and beautiful. The young men will become strong from [eating] grain, and the young women will [become strong] from [drinking] new wine.