Zechariah 9

1 The burden of the word of the LORD. In the land of Hadrach, and in Damascus shall be His resting-place; for the LORD'S is the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel.

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,

2 And Hamath also shall border thereon; Tyre and Zidon, for she is very wise.

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

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

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

4 Behold, the Lord will impoverish her, and He will smite her power into the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

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

5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear, Gaza also, and shall be sore pained, and Ekron, for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

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.

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

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

7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his detestable things from between his teeth, and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chief in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

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.

8 And I will encamp about My house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more; for now have I seen with Mine eyes.

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.

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee, he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

12 Return to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope; even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.

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;

13 For I bend Judah for Me, I fill the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man.

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.

14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord GOD will blow the horn, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

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.

15 The LORD 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 through wine; and they shall be filled like the basins, like the corners of the altar.

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.

16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, glittering over His land.

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.

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

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