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Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

An oracle of the word of the Lord that is against the land of Hadrak,
    and Damascus is the place where it will rest.
For the eyes of men and the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord.
Also Hamath borders it,
    even Tyre and Sidon, cities that are very wise.
Tyre has built a rampart for herself
    and stored up silver like it were dust,
    and even gold like it were mud in the streets.
The Lord will dispossess her of her possessions
    and strike down her power in the sea,
    and she will be devoured with fire.
Ashkelon will observe this and fear;
    Gaza as well and will writhe in anguish;
    even Ekron, her hope will be confounded.
The king of Gaza will perish,
    and no one will inhabit Ashkelon.
A mongrel people will dwell in Ashdod,
    and I will cut down the pride of Philistia.
I will take away the bloodshed from its mouth,
    and the abominations from between its teeth.
Even it will be a remnant for our God.
    It will be like a tribe of a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron like the Jebusites.
Then I will make camp at My house with a garrison,
    so that no one can pass back and forth.
And no oppressor will pass through them,
    for now I see with My eyes.

The Coming King of Zion

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    And cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king is coming to you;
    he is righteous and able to deliver,
    he is humble and riding on a donkey,
    a colt, the offspring of a donkey.
10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the horse from Jerusalem;
    and the bow for battle will be cut off.
He will speak peace to the nations;
    and his dominion will be from one sea to another,
    and from the Great River to the ends of the earth.
11 And as for you, because of the blood of your covenant,
    I will send your prisoners from the empty, waterless pits.
12 Return to your stronghold, prisoners who now have hope.
    Today I declare that I will return to you a double portion.
13 Because I have bent Judah as My bow
    and fitted the bow with Ephraim.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
    against your sons, O Greece,
    and will set you like the sword of a warrior.

14 Then the Lord will appear over them,
    and His arrow will go out like lightning.
The Lord God will sound His trumpet,
    and will march forth like storm winds of southern Teman.
15     The Lord of Hosts will protect them.
They will devour up
    and subdue them with stone slingers.
And they will drink and make noise as with wine;
    they will be filled with blood as a bowl,
    saturated like the corners of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will deliver them that day
    like the flock of His people.
For like jewels embedded in a crown,
    they will shine in His land.
17 For how great is His goodness, and how great His beauty!
    There will be grain for the young men
    and new wine to prosper the young women.

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