Add parallel Print Page Options

A revelation.

Yahweh’s word 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 Yahweh;
and Hamath, also, which borders on it;
    Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.
Tyre built herself a stronghold,
    and heaped up silver like the dust,
    and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
Behold, the Lord will dispossess her,
    and he will strike her power in the sea;
    and she will be devoured with fire.
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.
Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod,
    and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
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.
I will encamp around my house against the army,
    that no one pass through or return;
    and no oppressor will pass through them any more:
    for now I have seen with my eyes.
Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
    Shout, daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, 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 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 ends of the earth.
11 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 Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope!
    Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
13 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 Yahweh will be seen over them;
    and his arrow will flash like lightning;
    and the Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet,
    and will go with whirlwinds of the south.
15 Yahweh of Armies 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 Yahweh 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 great is his goodness,
    and how great is his beauty!
Grain will make the young men flourish,
    and new wine the virgins.

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