Zechariah 9

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting-place (for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Jehovah);2 and Hamath, also, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.3 And Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.4 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.8 And I will encamp about my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, 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 cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.11 As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water.12 Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.13 For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man.14 And Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.15 Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.16 And Jehovah their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over his land.17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

Zechariah 9

The Coming of the True King

1 An oracle of the word of the Lord concerning the land of Hadrach,s with its focus on Damascus:t
The eyes of all humanity,s especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord,2 as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, and Tyres and Sidon,s though they consider themselves to be very wise.3 Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets!4 Nevertheless the Lord will evict her and shove her fortificationst into the sea – she will be consumed by fire.5 Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up.t Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.6 A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, for I will greatly humiliate the Philistines.7 I will take away their abominable religious practices;t then those who survive will become a community of believers in our God,t like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8 Then I will surround my templet to protect it like a guardt from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it.

9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout, daughter of Jerusalem!
Look! Your king is coming to you:
he is legitimatet and victorious,t
humble and riding on a donkeys –
on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.

10 I will removest the chariot from Ephraim
and the warhorse from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be removed.
Then he will announce peace to the nations.
His dominion will be from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates Rivert to the ends of the earth.
11 Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.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!t I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion,t like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord God will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds.15 The Lord who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards,t full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar.s16 On that day the Lord their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land.

17 How precious and fair!s Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women.