Zechariah 9

1 The burden of a word of YHWH against the land of Hadrach, and Demmeseh—his place of rest: (When to YHWH [is] the eye of man, And of all the tribes of Israel).

This is the burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and Damascus its resting place— for the eyes of men and of all the tribes of Israel are upon the LORD —

2 And also Hamath borders thereon, Tyre and Sidon, for—very wise!

and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.

3 And Tyre builds a bulwark for herself, And heaps silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.

Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord dispossesses her, And He has struck her force in the sea, And she is consumed with fire.

Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

5 Ashkelon sees and fears, Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, Also Ekron—for her expectation dried up, And a king has perished from Gaza, And Ashkelon does not remain,

Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.

6 “And a foreigner has dwelt in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellence of the Philistines.

A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 And turned aside his blood from his mouth, His abominations from between his teeth, And he has remained, even he, to our God, And he has been as a leader in Judah, And Ekron as a Jebusite.

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

8 And I have pitched a camp for My house, Because of the passer through, and of the returner, And an exactor does not pass through against them again, For now, I have seen with My eyes.

But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with My own eyes.

9 Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, your King comes to you, Righteous and having salvation, Afflicted—and riding on a donkey, And on a colt—a son of female donkeys.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 And I have cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, Indeed, the bow of battle has been cut off, And He has spoken peace to nations, And His rule [is] from sea to sea, And from the river to the ends of the earth.

And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

11 Also You—by the blood of Your covenant, I have sent Your prisoners out of the pit, There is no water in it.

As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12 Return to a stronghold, You prisoners of the hope, Even today a second announcer I restore to you.

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double.

13 For I have trodden for Myself with Judah, I have filled a bow [with] Ephraim, And I have stirred up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Javan, And I have set you as the sword of a hero.”

For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

14 And YHWH appears for them, And His arrow has gone forth as lightning, And Lord YHWH blows with a horn, And He has gone with whirlwinds of the south.

Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.

15 YHWH of Hosts covers them over, And they consumed, and subdued sling-stones, Indeed, they have drunk, They have made a noise as wine, And they have been full as a bowl, As corners of an altar.

The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar.

16 And their God YHWH has saved them in that day, As a flock of His people, For stones of a crown are displaying themselves over His ground.

On that day the LORD their God will save them as the flock of His people; for like jewels in a crown they will sparkle over His land.

17 For what His goodness! And what His beauty! Grain the young men, And new wine the virgins—make fruitful!

How lovely they will be, and how beautiful! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine, the young women.