Prophecies against Neighboring Nations

The [a]burden of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach, with (A)Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord),

And (B)Hamath also, which borders on it;
(C)Tyre and (D)Sidon, [b]though [c]they are (E)very wise.
For Tyre built herself a (F)fortress
And (G)piled up silver like dust,
And (H)gold like the mire of the streets.
Behold, the Lord will (I)dispossess her
And cast her wealth into the sea;
And she will be (J)consumed with fire.
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza too will writhe in great pain;
Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded.
Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
And a [d]mongrel race will dwell in (K)Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a [e]clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
But I will camp around My house [f]because of an army,
Because of (L)him who passes by and returns;
And (M)no oppressor will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
(N)Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your (O)king is coming to you;
He is [g](P)just and (Q)endowed with salvation,
(R)Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a (S)colt, the [h]foal of a donkey.
10 I will (T)cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the (U)horse from Jerusalem;
And the (V)bow of war will be cut off.
And He will speak (W)peace to the nations;
And His (X)dominion will be from sea to sea,
And from the [i]River to the ends of the earth.

Deliverance of Judah and Ephraim

11 As for you also, because of the (Y)blood of My covenant with you,
I have set your (Z)prisoners free from the [j]waterless pit.
12 Return to the [k](AA)stronghold, O prisoners [l]who have the (AB)hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will restore (AC)double to you.
13 For I will (AD)bend Judah [m]as My bow,
I will fill the bow with Ephraim.
And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O (AE)Greece;
And I will make you like a (AF)warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear (AG)over them,
And His (AH)arrow will go forth like lightning;
And the Lord [n]God will blow the (AI)trumpet,
And will march in the (AJ)storm winds of the south.
15 (AK)The Lord of hosts will defend them.
And they will (AL)devour and trample on the (AM)sling stones;
And they will drink and be (AN)boisterous as with wine;
And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,
Drenched like the (AO)corners of the altar.
16 And the Lord their God will (AP)save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a (AQ)crown,
[o]Sparkling in His land.
17 For what [p](AR)comeliness and (AS)beauty will be [q]theirs!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:1 Or oracle
  2. Zechariah 9:2 Or because
  3. Zechariah 9:2 I.e. they think they are
  4. Zechariah 9:6 Lit bastard will
  5. Zechariah 9:7 Or chief
  6. Zechariah 9:8 Or as a guard, so that none will go back and forth
  7. Zechariah 9:9 Or vindicated and victorious
  8. Zechariah 9:9 Lit son of a female donkey
  9. Zechariah 9:10 I.e. Euphrates
  10. Zechariah 9:11 Lit cistern in which there is no water
  11. Zechariah 9:12 Or Stronghold
  12. Zechariah 9:12 Lit of the hope
  13. Zechariah 9:13 Lit for Me
  14. Zechariah 9:14 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  15. Zechariah 9:16 Or Displayed over
  16. Zechariah 9:17 Lit goodness
  17. Zechariah 9:17 Lit his

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