Zechariah 9

1 The burden of a word of Jehovah against the land of Hadrach, and Demmeseh — his place of rest: (When to Jehovah [is] the eye of man, And of 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 And also Hamath doth border thereon, Tyre and Zidon, for — very wise!

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

3 And Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.

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

4 Lo, the Lord doth dispossess her, And He hath smitten in the sea her force, And she with fire is consumed.

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

5 See doth Ashkelon and fear, Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, Also Ekron — for her expectation dried up, And perished hath a king from Gaza, And Ashkelon doth not remain,

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 dwelt hath a foreigner in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellency of the Philistines.

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

7 And turned aside his blood from his mouth, His abominations from between his teeth, And he hath remained, even he, to our God, And he hath been as a leader 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 And I have pitched for My house a camp, Because of the passer through, and of the returner, And pass not through against them again doth an exactor, For, now, I have seen with My 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 Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo, thy King doth come to thee, Righteous — and saved is He, Afflicted — and riding on an ass, And on a colt — a son of she-asses.

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 And I have cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, Yea, cut off hath been the bow of battle, And he hath spoken peace to nations, And his rule [is] from sea unto sea, And from the river unto the ends of 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 Also thou — by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent thy prisoners out of the pit, There is no water in it.

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 Turn back to a fenced place, Ye prisoners of the hope, Even to-day a second announcer I restore 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 trodden for Me Judah, A bow I have filled [with] Ephraim, And I have stirred up thy sons, O Zion, Against thy sons, O Javan, And I have set thee as the sword of a hero.

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 And Jehovah doth appear for them, And gone forth as lightning hath His arrow, And the Lord Jehovah with a trumpet bloweth, And He hath gone with 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 Jehovah of Hosts doth cover them over, And they consumed, and subdued sling-stones, Yea, they have drunk, They have made a noise as wine, And they have been full as a bowl, As 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 And saved them hath Jehovah their God In that day, as a flock of His people, For stones of a crown are displaying themselves over His ground.

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 what His goodness! and what His beauty! Corn the young men, And new wine the virgins — make fruitful!

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