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Punishment on Israel’s Enemies

This message is the word of the Lord.

The message is against the land of Hadrach
    and the city of Damascus.
The tribes of Israel and all people
    belong to the Lord.
The message is also against the city of Hamath, on the border,
    and against Tyre and Sidon, with their skill.
Tyre has built a strong wall for herself.
    She has piled up silver like dust
    and gold like the mud in the streets.
But the Lord will take away all she has
    and destroy her power on the sea.
    That city will be destroyed by fire.
The city of Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
    The people of Gaza will shake with fear,
    and the people of Ekron will lose hope.
No king will be left in Gaza,
    and no one will live in Ashkelon anymore.
Foreigners will live in Ashdod,
    and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
I will stop them from drinking blood
    and from eating forbidden food.
Those left alive will belong to God.
    They will be leaders in Judah,
    and Ekron will become like the Jebusites.
I will protect my Temple
    from armies who would come or go.
No one will hurt my people again,
    because now I am watching them.

The King Is Coming

Rejoice greatly, people of Jerusalem!
    Shout for joy, people of Jerusalem!
Your king is coming to you.
    He does what is right, and he saves.
    He is gentle and riding on a donkey,
    on the colt of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the horses from Jerusalem.
    The bows used in war will be broken.
The king will talk to the nations about peace.
    His kingdom will go from sea to sea,
    and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you, because of the blood of the agreement with you
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 You prisoners who have hope,
    return to your place of safety.
Today I am telling you
    that I will give you back twice as much as before.
13 I will use Judah like a bow
    and Ephraim like the arrows.
Jerusalem, I will use your men
    to fight the men of Greece.
    I will use you like a warrior’s sword.

14 Then the Lord will appear above them,
    and his arrows will shoot like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
    and he will march in the storms of the south.
15 The Lord All-Powerful will protect them;
    they will destroy the enemy with slingshots.
They will drink and shout like drunks.
    They will be filled like a bowl
    used for sprinkling blood at the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the Lord their God will save them
    as if his people were sheep.
They will shine in his land
    like jewels in a crown.
17 They will be so pretty and beautiful.
    The young men will grow strong on the grain
    and the young women on new wine.

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