< 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 a word of YHWH against the land of Hadrach, and Demmeseh—his place of rest: (When to YHWH [is] the eye of man, And of 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 also Hamath borders thereon, Tyre and Sidon, for—very wise!
3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets.
And Tyre builds a bulwark for herself, And heaps silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.
4 Look! The Lord will dispossess her and destroy her strength on the sea, so she will be devoured by fire.
Behold, the Lord dispossesses her, And He has struck her force in the sea, And she is 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!
Ashkelon sees and fears, Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, Also Ekron—for her expectation dried up, And a king has perished from Gaza, And Ashkelon does not remain,
6 Strangers will make their homes in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
“And a foreigner has dwelt in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellence 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 turned aside his blood from his mouth, His abominations from between his teeth, And he has remained, even he, to our God, And he has been as a leader in Judah, And Ekron 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 have pitched a camp for My house, Because of the passer through, and of the returner, And an exactor does not pass through against them again, For now, I have seen with My 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 exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, your King comes to you, Righteous and having salvation, Afflicted—and riding on a donkey, And on a colt—a son of female donkeys.
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 I have cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, Indeed, the bow of battle has been cut off, And He has spoken peace to nations, And His rule [is] from sea to sea, And from the 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.
Also You—by the blood of Your covenant, I have sent Your prisoners out of the pit, There is no water in it.
12 Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! Even today I am declaring that I will return double to you,
Return to a stronghold, You prisoners of the hope, Even today a second announcer I restore to you.
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 trodden for Myself with Judah, I have filled a bow [with] Ephraim, And I have stirred up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Javan, And I have set you as the sword of a hero.”
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 YHWH appears for them, And His arrow has gone forth as lightning, And Lord YHWH blows with a horn, And He has gone with whirlwinds of 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.
YHWH of Hosts covers them over, And they consumed, and subdued sling-stones, Indeed, they have drunk, They have made a noise as wine, And they have been full as a bowl, As 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.
And their God YHWH has saved them in that day, As a flock of His people, For stones of a crown are displaying themselves over His ground.
17 How good and how beautiful they will be! The young men will flourish on grain and the virgins on sweet wine!”
For what His goodness! And what His beauty! Grain the young men, And new wine the virgins—make fruitful!