Zechariah 9

1 The prophecy of the word of Jehovah is against the land of Hadrach, And upon Damascus shall it come down, For the eye of Jehovah is over man, And over 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 against Hamath, which bordereth thereon, And Tyre and Sidon, 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 Though Tyre hath built her a fortress, And hath heaped up silver as 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 cast her out, And will smite her power into the sea, And she shall be devoured by fire.

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

5 Askelon shall see it and fear, Gaza also shall see and tremble, And Ekron, because her expectation shall be put to shame. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Askelon 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 strangers 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; And even he shall be left for our God, And he shall be as a governor 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, as a garrison, Against him that passeth by and him that returneth, And no oppressor shall pass through them any more; For now have I seen with my own 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 victorious, Mild, 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 to 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, on account of thy blood-sealed covenant, I will set thy prisoners free from 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 Return ye to the strong-hold, ye prisoners of hope! Even this day do I declare it: I will restore 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 will bend Judah as a bow for myself; As a bow will I extend Ephraim to the utmost; And I will raise up thy sons, O Zion, Against thy sons, O Greece, And make thee as 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 lightning; And the Lord Jehovah shall blow the trumpet, And shall go forth 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 shall defend them; And they shall devour, and trample under feet the sling-stones, And they shall drink, and shout as through 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; He will save his people as a flock; For they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifting themselves up in 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 How great shall be their prosperity, and how great their beauty! Corn shall make the young men thrive, and new wire the maidens.

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