Zechariah 9

1 “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.

The burden of the word of the Lord, in the land of Sedrach, and his sacrifice [shall be] in Damascus; for the Lord looks upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel.

2 This declaration also concerns Hamath, which borders on Damascus, and it concerns Tyre and Sidon, for they are very wise.

And in Emath, [even] in her coasts, [are] Tyre and Sidon, because they were very wise.

3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets.

And Tyrus built strong-holds for herself, and heaped up silver as dust, and gathered gold as the mire of the ways.

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

And therefore the Lord will take them for a possession, and will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be consumed with fire.

5 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!

Ascalon shall see, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be greatly pained, and Accaron; for she is ashamed at her trespass; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited.

6 Strangers will make their homes in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

And aliens shall dwell in Azotus, and I will bring down the pride of the Philistines.

7 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.

And I will take their blood out of their mouth, and their abominations from between their teeth; and these also shall be left to our God, and they shall be as a captain of a thousand in Juda, and Accaron as a Jebusite.

8 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!

And I will set up a defence for my house, that they may not pass through, nor turn back, neither shall there any more come upon them one to drive them away: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

9 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.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; proclaim [it] aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King is coming to thee, just, and a Saviour; he is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal.

10 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!

And he shall destroy the chariots out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be utterly destroyed; and [there shall be] abundance and peace out of the nations; and he shall rule over the waters as far as the sea, and the rivers [to] the ends of the earth.

11 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.

And thou by the blood of thy covenant has sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit that has no water.

12 Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! Even today I am declaring that I will return double to you,

Ye shall dwell in strongholds, ye prisoners of the congregation: and for one day of thy captivity I will recompense thee double.

13 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!”

For I have bent thee, O Juda, for myself [as] a bow, I have filled Ephraim; and I will raise up thy children, O Sion, against the children of the Greeks, and I will handle thee as the sword of a warrior.

14 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.

And the Lord shall be over them, and [his] arrow shall go forth as lightning: and the Lord Almighty shall blow with the trumpet; and shall proceed with the tumult of his threatening.

15 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.

The Lord Almighty shall protect them, and they shall destroy them, and overwhelm them with sling-stones; and they shall swallow them down as wine, and fill the bowls as the altar.

16 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.

And the Lord their God shall save them in that day, [even] his people as a flock; for holy stones are rolled upon his land.

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

For if he has anything good, and if he has anything fair, the young [men shall have] corn, and [there shall be] fragrant wine to the virgins.