Zechariah 9

1 A word of the Lord: The Lord has come to the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is his resting-place: for the towns of Aram are the Lord's,

An oracle. The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus; for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward the LORD;

2 As well as Hamath, which is by its limit, and Tyre and Zidon, because they are very wise.

and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

3 And Tyre made for herself a strong place, and got together silver like dust and the best gold like the earth of the streets.

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

4 See, the Lord will take away her heritage, overturning her power in the sea; and she will be burned up with fire.

Look, the LORD will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.

5 Ashkelon will see it with fear, and Gaza, bent with pain; and Ekron, for her hope will be shamed: and the king will be cut off from Gaza, and Ashkelon will be unpeopled.

Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

6 And a mixed people will be living in Ashdod, and I will have the pride of the Philistines cut off.

Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 And I will take away his blood from his mouth, and his disgusting things from between his teeth; and some of his people will be kept for our God: and he will be as a family in Judah, and Ekron as one living in Jerusalem.

I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also will be a remnant for our God; and he will be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

8 And I will put my forces in position round my house, so that there may be no coming and going: and no cruel master will again go through them: for now I have seen his trouble.

I will camp around my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes.

9 Be full of joy, O daughter of Zion; give a glad cry, O daughter of Jerusalem: see, your king comes to you: he is upright and has overcome; gentle and seated on an ass, on a young ass.

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. Shout, daughter of Jerusalem. Look, your king comes to you. He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 And he will have the war-carriage cut off from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be cut off: and he will say words of peace to the nations: and his rule will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the farthest parts of the earth.

11 And as for you, because of the blood of your agreement, I have sent out your prisoners from the deep hole in which there is no water.

As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.

12 And they will come back to you, O daughter of Zion, as prisoners of hope: today I say to you that I will give you back twice as much;

Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

13 For I have made Judah a bow bent for my use, I have made Ephraim the arrows of the bow; I will make your sons, O Zion, take up arms against your sons, O Greece, and will make you like the sword of a man of war.

For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

14 And the Lord will be seen over them, and his arrow will go out like the thunder-flame: and the Lord God, sounding the war-horn, will go in the storm-winds of the South.

The LORD will be seen over them; and his arrow will go forth like lightning; and the LORD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

15 The Lord of armies will be a cover for them; and they will overcome, crushing under foot the armed men; they will take their blood for drink like wine: they will be full like the sides of the altar.

The LORD of hosts will defend them; and they will destroy and overcome with sling stones; and they will drink, and roar as through wine; and they will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

16 And the Lord their God will be their saviour in that day, giving them food like the flock of his people: for they will be like the jewels of a crown shining over his land.

The LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

17 For how good it is and how beautiful! grain will make the young men strong and new wine the virgins.

For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty. Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.