Zechariah 9

1 An oracle. The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus; for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward the LORD;

An oracle: The message of the Lord concerns the land of Hadrach, it rests upon Damascus. For the capital of Aram belongs to the Lord, as the tribes of Israel do,

2 and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

and also Hamath which borders on it. Tyre and Sidon, for all their wisdom.

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

Tyre built for herself a fortress. Heaped up silver as dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4 Look, the LORD will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.

But now the Lord will dispossess her, cast down her rampart into the sea. She will be consumed in fire.

5 Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Ashkelon will see and fear, and Gaza writhe in anguish, Ekron, also for her hope will be put to shame. The king will perish from Gaza, Ashkelon will remain uninhabited.

6 Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

A foreign people will settle in Ashdod, and I will humble the pride of the Philistines.

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

I will take their blood from their mouth, and their abominations from between their teeth. They also will be a remnant for our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8 I will camp around my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes.

But I will encamp as a guard about my house, so that none will pass through or return, and no oppressor will pass through them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. Shout, daughter of Jerusalem. Look, your king comes to you. He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king comes to you. Vindicated and victorious is he, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the farthest parts of the earth.

He will cut off chariots from Ephraim, and war horses from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be cut off, and he will speak peace to the nations. His rule will be from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.

And you, too – because of your blood covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12 Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

To the stronghold will the prisoners of hope return. This day I declare, I will restore double to you.

13 For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

For I have bent Judah to me, like a bow which I have filled with Ephraim like an arrow. I will urge your sons, Zion, against the sons of Greece, I will make you like the sword of a hero.

14 The LORD will be seen over them; and his arrow will go forth like lightning; and the LORD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

Then the Lord will be seen above them and his arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord will blow a blast upon a trumpet, and travel on the whirlwinds of the south.

15 The LORD of hosts will defend them; and they will destroy and overcome with sling stones; and they will drink, and roar as through wine; and they will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

The Lord of hosts will defend them. They will devour and tread down the slingstones, they will drink their blood like wine, they will be full like a bowl, like the crevices of the altar.

16 The LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

And the Lord their God will save them on that day, as the flock of his people, as the jewel of a crown shining in his land.

17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty. Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

How good and how beautiful will it be! Corn will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women!