Zechariah 9:9-12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The King’s Entry into Jerusalem[a]
9 Exult greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
Behold: your king[b] is coming to you,
a just savior is he,
Humble, and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(A)
10 He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,(B)
and the horse from Jerusalem;
The warrior’s bow will be banished,
and he will proclaim peace to the nations.(C)
His dominion will be from sea to sea,
and from the River[c] to the ends of the earth.(D)
Restoration of the People
11 As for you, by the blood of your covenant,[d](E)
I have freed your prisoners from a waterless pit.
12 Return to a fortress,[e]
O prisoners of hope;
This very day, I announce
I am restoring double to you.
Footnotes
- 9:9–10 These two verses form the centerpiece of chap. 9. The restoration of a royal figure connects the first part of the chapter (vv. 1–8), which depicts the restored land of Israel, with the second part (vv. 11–17), which concerns the restoration of the people Israel.
- 9:9 Your king: a just savior, a figure of humble demeanor, but riding on a donkey like royalty in the ancient Near East (Gn 49:11; Jgs 5:10; 10:4). The announcement of the coming of such a king marks a departure from the view of the royal figure as a conquering warrior. This depiction is in keeping with the tone of First Zechariah (3:8; 4:6–10; 6:12) but contrasts with Haggai (2:20–23). New Testament authors apply this prophecy to Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:4–5; Jn 12:14–15).
- 9:10 The River: probably the Euphrates; see note on Ps 72:8.
- 9:11 The blood of your covenant: the covenant between the Lord and Israel sealed with sacrificial blood (Ex 24:8).
- 9:12 Fortress: the Hebrew word for “fortress” (bissaron) plays upon the Hebrew word for Zion (siyyon). Those who return to Zion will be protected by the Lord. O prisoners of hope: imagery of exile, conveying a sense that the future in Israel will be better.
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