Zechariah 9

1 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 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.

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

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

7 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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