Zacharias 9

1 The burden of the word of the Lord, in the land of Sedrach, and his sacrifice [shall be] in Damascus; for the Lord looks upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel.

An oracle. The word of YHWH 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 YHWH;

2 And in Emath, [even] in her coasts, [are] Tyre and Sidon, because they were very wise.

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

3 And Tyrus built strong-holds for herself, and heaped up silver as dust, and gathered gold as the mire of the ways.

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

4 And therefore the Lord will take them for a possession, and will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be consumed with fire.

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

5 Ascalon shall see, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be greatly pained, and Accaron; for she is ashamed at her trespass; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited.

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 aliens shall dwell in Azotus, and I will bring down the pride of the Philistines.

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

7 And I will take their blood out of their mouth, and their abominations from between their teeth; and these also shall be left to our God, and they shall be as a captain of a thousand in Juda, and Accaron as a Jebusite.

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 set up a defence for my house, that they may not pass through, nor turn back, neither shall there any more come upon them one to drive them away: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

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 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; proclaim [it] aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King is coming to thee, just, and a Saviour; he is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal.

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 shall destroy the chariots out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be utterly destroyed; and [there shall be] abundance and peace out of the nations; and he shall rule over the waters as far as the sea, and the rivers [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 thou by the blood of thy covenant has sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit that has 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 Ye shall dwell in strongholds, ye prisoners of the congregation: and for one day of thy captivity I will recompense thee double.

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

13 For I have bent thee, O Juda, for myself [as] a bow, I have filled Ephraim; and I will raise up thy children, O Sion, against the children of the Greeks, and I will handle thee as the sword of a warrior.

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 shall be over them, and [his] arrow shall go forth as lightning: and the Lord Almighty shall blow with the trumpet; and shall proceed with the tumult of his threatening.

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

15 The Lord Almighty shall protect them, and they shall destroy them, and overwhelm them with sling-stones; and they shall swallow them down as wine, and fill the bowls as the altar.

YHWH 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 shall save them in that day, [even] his people as a flock; for holy stones are rolled upon his land.

YHWH 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 if he has anything good, and if he has anything fair, the young [men shall have] corn, and [there shall be] fragrant wine to 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.