Zechariah 9
1 The oracle of the word of Yahweh on the land of Hadrach, and, Damascus, shall be the resting-place thereof, —For, Yahweh, hath an eye—to mankind, and to 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 Moreover also, Hamath, adjoineth thereto, Tyre and Zidon, —because very wise;
This declaration also concerns Hamath, which borders on Damascus, and it concerns Tyre and Sidon, for they are very wise.
3 Therefore did Tyre build a stronghold for herself, —and did heap up silver like dust, yea gold, like the mire of the lanes.
Tyre has built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets.
4 Lo! My Lord, shall dispossess her, and smite, into the sea, her fortress, —and, she herself, in fire, shall be consumed.
Look! The Lord will dispossess her and destroy her strength on the sea, so she will be devoured by fire.
5 Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation, —and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, 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 there shall be seated a half-breed in Ashdod, —So will I cut off the arrogance of the Philistines;
Strangers will make their homes in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 And will take away his reeking prey out of his mouth, and his abominations, from between his teeth, but, he that is left, even he, shall belong to our God, —So shall he become as a chief 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 Then will I encamp about my house—against an army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, neither shall an exactor, tread them down any more, —for, now, have I seen with mine 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 Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion, Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo! thy king, cometh unto thee, vindicated and victorious, is he, —lowly, and riding upon an ass, yea, upon a colt, a young 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 So will he cut off the chariot out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the war-bow, shall be cut off, So shall he speak peace to the nations, and, his dominion, shall be from sea to sea, and from the river [Euphrates] 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, —By the blood of thy covenant, have I sent forth thy prisoners out of a 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 to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope, —Even to-day, do I declare—Double, will I return to thee!
Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! Even today I am declaring that I will return double to you,
13 For I have bent for me—Judah, As a bow, have I grasped Ephraim, Thus will I rouse up thy sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty one.
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 But, Yahweh, over them, will appear, and forth shall go, as lightning, his arrow, —Yea, My Lord Yahweh, with a horn, will blow, and will move along in the 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 Yahweh of hosts, will throw a covering over them, so shall they eat, and trample underfoot sling-stones, and shall drink—shall shout as with wine, —and shall be filled like tossing-bowls, —like the corners of an 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 So will Yahweh their God, save them, on that day. yea, as a flock of sheep, his people, —for [they shall be like] the jewels of a diadem sparkling over 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 For how excellent it is! Yea how beautiful! Corn, shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens.
How good and how beautiful they will be! The young men will flourish on grain and the virgins on sweet wine!”
