Zechariah 9

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah, in the land of Hadrach, and [on] Damascus shall it rest; (for Jehovah hath an eye upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel; )

“This is a declaration of Yahweh's word concerning the land of Hadrak and Damascus, its resting place; for the eyes of all humanity and all the tribes of Israel are toward Yahweh.

2 and also [on] Hamath [which] bordereth thereon; on Tyre and Zidon, though she be very wise.

This declaration also concerns Hamath, which borders on Damascus, and it concerns Tyre and Sidon, for they are very wise.

3 And Tyre hath built herself a stronghold, and hath heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Tyre has built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will take possession of her, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

Look! The Lord will dispossess her and destroy her strength on the sea, so she will be devoured by fire.

5 Ashkelon shall see [it], and fear; Gazah also, and she shall be greatly pained; Ekron also, for her expectation shall be put to shame: and the king shall perish from Gazah, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

Ashkelon will see and be afraid! Gaza also will tremble greatly! Ekron, her hopes will be disappointed! The king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall no longer be inhabited!

6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines;

Strangers will make their homes in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 and I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; but he that remaineth, he also shall belong to our God, and shall be as a leader in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

For I will remove their blood from their mouths and their abominations from between their teeth. Then they will become a remnant for our God like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will become like the Jebusites.

8 And I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of those that pass by and that return; and the exactor shall not pass through them any more: for now have I seen [it] with mine eyes.

I will camp around my land against enemy armies, so no one can pass through or return, for no oppressor will overrun them, for now I see with my own eyes!

9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh to thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Shout with great joy, daughter of Zion! Shout with happiness, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold! Your king is coming to you with righteousness and is rescuing you. He is humble and is riding on a donkey, on the colt of a donkey.

10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle-bow shall be cut off. And he shall speak peace unto the nations; and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

Then I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow will be cut off from battle; for he will speak peace to the nations, and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I will send forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the pit where there is no water.

12 Turn again to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! even to-day do I declare I will render double unto thee.

Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! Even today I am declaring that I will return double to you,

13 For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will raise up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and make thee like the sword of a mighty man.

for I have bent Judah as my bow. I have filled my quiver with Ephraim. I have roused your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and have made you, Zion, like a warrior's sword!”

14 And Jehovah shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will march with whirlwinds of the south.

Yahweh will appear to them, and his arrows will shoot out like lightning! For my Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet and will advance with the storms from Teman.

15 Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, [and] make a noise as from wine; and they shall be filled like a bowl, like the corners of the altar.

Yahweh of hosts will defend them, and they will devour them and defeat the stones of the slings. Then they will drink and shout like men drunk on wine, and they will be filled with wine like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

16 And Jehovah their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people; for [they shall be as] the stones of a crown, lifted up upon his land.

So Yahweh their God will rescue them on that day, as the flock of his people. They are the jewels of a crown that will shine on his land.

17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Corn shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens.

How good and how beautiful they will be! The young men will flourish on grain and the virgins on sweet wine!”