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.

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A foreign people will settle in Ashdod, and I will humble 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.

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.

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!

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.

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, 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.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 will save them on that day, as the flock of his people, as the jewel of a crown shining 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 good and how beautiful will it be! Corn will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women!