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Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

A declaration: this message from the Lord in the land of Hadrach,[a]
    with Damascus its confederate,[b]
because the eyes of humanity[c] will look to[d] the Lord,
    along with those of[e] all the tribes of Israel.
Also Hamath, which borders on it—
    along with Tyre and Sidon—
        indeed they are very wise.

“Tyre built itself a fortification,
    hoarding silver like dust
        and pure gold like mud in a street.
Look! The Lord will evict her,
    striking at her power in the sea,
        and she will be consumed by fire.
Ashkelon will see it happen and will be terrified;
    Gaza will tremble greatly.
Ekron will be ashamed of her expectations,
    Gaza’s king will perish,
        and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.
A strange people[f] will inhabit Ashdod,
    and I will eliminate the arrogance of Philistia.
I will remove the blood from its mouth,
    along with its abominations from between its teeth.
Its survivors will be dedicated to our God;
    It will be like a clan of Judah,
        and Ekron will be as a Jebusite.[g]
I will set a garrison around my Temple,
    to hinder those who might come and go,
and to guard against oppressors who intend to invade;
    for I have taken note of this with my eyes.”

The Coming of Zion’s King

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion;
    cry out, daughter of Jerusalem!
Look! Your king is coming to you.
    He is righteous,
        and he is able to save.
He is humble,
    and is riding on a colt,
        the foal of a donkey.
10 I will banish[h] chariots from Ephraim
    and horses from Jerusalem.
War weapons[i] will be banished,
    and your king[j] will speak peace to the nations.
His dominion will extend from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the farthest portion of the earth.

11 Now concerning you and my blood covenant with you,
    I have liberated your prisoners
        from a waterless pit.
12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners who have hope.
    Even today I am telling you:
        In return I will repay you double.
13 For I have bent Judah as if it were my bow,
    loading it with Ephraim.
I raised up your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,
        wielding you like a mighty warrior’s sword.”

Israel’s Lord Appears

14 The Lord will appear over them—
    his arrow will shoot like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
    and go out with the southern windstorm.
15 The Lord of the Heavenly Armies will defend them;
    they will devour and conquer those who sling stones.
They will drink and be boisterous like those who are drunk.
    They will be filled to the brim with blood,[k]
        like the corners of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save them at that time[l]
    as his very own flock of people,
because they are his crown jewels,
    exalted throughout his land.
17 For how great is his goodness,
    and how great is his beauty!
Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the virgins.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:1 I.e. a district near Damascus
  2. Zechariah 9:1 Cf. Isa 7:2; or resting place
  3. Zechariah 9:1 Or Aram
  4. Zechariah 9:1 Lit. will be on
  5. Zechariah 9:1 The Heb. lacks those of
  6. Zechariah 9:6 Lit. A bastard
  7. Zechariah 9:7 I.e. a Jerusalemite
  8. Zechariah 9:10 Lit. will cut off
  9. Zechariah 9:10 Lit. The war bow
  10. Zechariah 9:10 Lit. and he
  11. Zechariah 9:15 The Heb. lacks with blood
  12. Zechariah 9:16 Lit. day

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

A prophecy:(A)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus(B)
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord[a]
and on Hamath(C) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre(D) and Sidon,(E) though they are very skillful.
Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.(F)
But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy(G) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.(H)
Ashkelon(I) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God(K)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.(L)
But I will encamp(M) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.(N)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.(O)

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!(P)
    Shout,(Q) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,(R)
    righteous and victorious,(S)
lowly and riding on a donkey,(T)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(U)
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.(V)
He will proclaim peace(W) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River[b] to the ends of the earth.(X)
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant(Y) with you,
    I will free your prisoners(Z) from the waterless pit.(AA)
12 Return to your fortress,(AB) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(AC) as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow(AD)
    and fill it with Ephraim.(AE)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,(AF)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.(AG)

The Lord Will Appear

14 Then the Lord will appear over them;(AH)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.(AI)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;(AJ)
    he will march in the storms(AK) of the south,
15     and the Lord Almighty will shield(AL) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.(AM)
They will drink and roar as with wine;(AN)
    they will be full like a bowl(AO)
    used for sprinkling[c] the corners(AP) of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day(AQ)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.(AR)
17 How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
  2. Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
  3. Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like