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¶ The burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and of Damascus, his rest, because the eyes of the men and of all the tribes of Israel are turned toward the LORD.

And Hamath also shall come to an end in her; Tyre, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

And Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver as the dust and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will impoverish her, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall see it and be very sorrowful, and Ekron for her hope shall be confounded; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

And a stranger shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth, but some of them shall remain for our God, and they shall be as captains in Judah, and Ekron as the Jebusite.

And I will be the defence and firm support to my house from him that comes and goes; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more, for now I have seen with my eyes.

¶ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout with joy, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King shall come unto thee: just, and a saviour; humble, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass.

10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be broken and he shall speak peace unto the Gentiles; and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have taken thy prisoners out of the pit in which there is no water.

12 ¶ Return to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will render double unto thee;

13 for I have bent Judah for me as a bow, and I made Ephraim his arrow, and I will raise up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and make thee as the sword of a mighty man.

14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the shofar and shall go forth as the whirlwinds of the south.

15 The LORD of the hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink and make a noise as though drunk with wine; and they shall be filled like bowls and as the corners of the altar.

16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as a flock of his people, for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! The wheat shall make the young men cheerful, and the wine the maids.

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