Zechariah 9

1 An oracle: The message of the Lord concerns the land of Hadrach, it rests upon Damascus. For the capital of Aram belongs to the Lord, as the tribes of Israel do,

The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest of it: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

2 and also Hamath which borders on it. Tyre and Sidon, for all their wisdom.

And Hamath also shall border by it; Tyre, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

3 Tyre built for herself a fortress. Heaped up silver as dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

And Tyre built herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

4 But now the Lord will dispossess her, cast down her rampart into the sea. She will be consumed in fire.

Behold, the LORD will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

5 Ashkelon will see and fear, and Gaza writhe in anguish, Ekron, also for her hope will be put to shame. The king will perish from Gaza, Ashkelon will remain uninhabited.

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

6 A foreign people will settle in Ashdod, and I will humble the pride of the Philistines.

And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will take their blood from their mouth, and their abominations from between their teeth. They also will be a remnant for our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

8 But I will encamp as a guard about my house, so that none will pass through or return, and no oppressor will pass through them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.

And I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with my eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king comes to you. Vindicated and victorious is he, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh to thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.

10 He will cut off chariots from Ephraim, and war horses from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be cut off, and he will speak peace to the nations. His rule will be from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth.

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 to the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

11 And you, too – because of your blood covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit in which is no water.

12 To the stronghold will the prisoners of hope return. This day I declare, I will restore double to you.

Return to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double to thee;

13 For I have bent Judah to me, like a bow which I have filled with Ephraim like an arrow. I will urge your sons, Zion, against the sons of Greece, I will make you like the sword of a hero.

When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

14 Then the Lord will be seen above them and his arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord will blow a blast upon a trumpet, and travel on the whirlwinds of the south.

And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

15 The Lord of hosts will defend them. They will devour and tread down the slingstones, they will drink their blood like wine, they will be full like a bowl, like the crevices of the altar.

The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue the sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

16 And the Lord their God will save them on that day, as the flock of his people, as the jewel of a crown shining in his land.

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

17 How good and how beautiful will it be! Corn will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women!

For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.