Zechariah 9:12-14
New English Translation
12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you. 13 I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow.[a] I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and I will make you, Zion,[b] like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Sovereign Lord will blow the trumpet and will proceed[c] in the southern storm winds.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Zechariah 9:13 tn The words “my arrow” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to clarify the imagery for the modern reader (cf. NRSV, NLT).
- Zechariah 9:13 tn The word “Zion” is not repeated here in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to indicate that the statement refers to Zion and not to Greece.
- Zechariah 9:14 tn The verb הָלַך (halakh) means “to walk” or more generally “to go.” In this military setting it might be understood as marching (ESV, NASB, NIV), attacking (NLV), or sallying, which is making a sudden offensive thrust especially from a defensive position.sn This picture is part of a larger storm imagery associated with God. Elsewhere the Lord is said to “ride” (רָכַב, rakhav) on the heavens (Ps 68:33), on a cherub (Ps 18:11; parallel to “flying on the wings of the wind”), and on a cloud (Isa 19:1). The Lord also speaks to Job from the “whirlwind” (the same word for storm here).
Zechariah 9:12-14
New International Version
12 Return to your fortress,(A) you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice(B) as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow(C)
and fill it with Ephraim.(D)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
against your sons, Greece,(E)
and make you like a warrior’s sword.(F)
The Lord Will Appear
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