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.

A prophecy: A message from the Lord to the land of Hadrach, and Damascus its main objective. For the eyes of human beings together with all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord,

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

and Hamath too since it is close by. Also Tyre and Sidon for they are very wise.

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

The people of Tyre built a fortress, and piled up silver like dust and gold like the dirt of the street.

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

But look at what will happen. The Lord will take away everything they have, and knock down their strong defenses into the sea. The city will be burned down.

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!

The people of Ashkelon will see this and be terrified; those in Gaza will thrash around in agony like a woman giving birth; and the people of Ekron too, because their hopes are shattered. The king of Gaza will be killed, and Ashkelon will be deserted.

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

Mixed-race people will live in Ashdod, and I will wipe out the Philistine's pride.

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.

I will remove the blood-filled meat from their mouths; the unclean food from their jaws. Those who remain will belong to our God—they shall become like a family of Judah—and those from Ekron will become part of my people, just as the Jebusites did.

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!

I will make my camp in my Temple to guard it from invaders, and no oppressors will conquer them, for now I myself am keeping watch.

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.

Be happy and celebrate, people of Zion! Shout loudly, people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He does what is right and has salvation; he is humble, riding on a donkey—on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

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!

(I will remove the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy the bows used in battle.) He will proclaim peace to the nations, and he will rule from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River 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 as for you, because my agreement with you, sealed with blood, I will set you free from the waterless pit.

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

Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have hope! Today I promise I will repay you double what you lost.

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!”

I will use Judah as my bow, and I will load it with Ephraim my arrow. I will call up you men of Zion to fight against you men of Greece, wielding you like a warrior's sword.

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.

Then the Lord will appear over his people and his arrow will flash like lightning! The Lord God will blow the trumpet and march out like a windstorm from the south.

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 will protect them. They will destroy their enemies, conquering them with slingshots. They will drink and shout loudly like people who are drunk. They will be filled like a bowl, soaked liked the corners of an 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.

On that day the Lord their God will save them—his people that are his flock—for they will glitter as crown jewels in his land.

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

How lovely and beautiful they will be! Young men will grow strong on grain, and young women flourish on the new wine.