Font Size
Zechariah 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Zechariah 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
Restoration of the Land of Israel[a]
1 An oracle:[b] the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach,
and Damascus is its destination,
For the cities of Aram are the Lord’s,
as are all the tribes of Israel.
2 Hamath also on its border,
Tyre too, and Sidon, no matter how clever they be.
3 Tyre built itself a stronghold,
and heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the mud of the streets.
4 But now the Lord will dispossess it,
and cast its wealth into the sea,
and it will be devoured by fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid;
Gaza too will be in great anguish;
Ekron also, for its hope will wither.
The king will disappear from Gaza,
Ashkelon will not be inhabited,
6 and the illegitimate will rule in Ashdod.
I will destroy the pride of the Philistines
7 and take from their mouths their bloody prey,
their disgusting meat from between their teeth.
They will become merely a remnant for our God,(A)
and will be like a clan in Judah;
Ekron will be like the Jebusites.[c]
8 I will encamp at my house,
a garrison against invaders;
No oppressor will overrun them again,
for now I have seen their affliction.
The King’s Entry into Jerusalem[d]
9 Exult greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
Behold: your king[e] is coming to you,
a just savior is he,
Humble, and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(B)
10 He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,(C)
and the horse from Jerusalem;
The warrior’s bow will be banished,
and he will proclaim peace to the nations.(D)
His dominion will be from sea to sea,
and from the River[f] to the ends of the earth.(E)
Restoration of the People
11 As for you, by the blood of your covenant,[g](F)
I have freed your prisoners from a waterless pit.
12 Return to a fortress,[h]
O prisoners of hope;
This very day, I announce
I am restoring double to you.
13 For I have bent Judah as my bow,
I have set Ephraim as its arrow;
I will arouse your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Yavan,[i]
and I will use you as a warrior’s sword.
14 The Lord will appear over them,
God’s arrow will shoot forth as lightning;
The Lord God will sound the ram’s horn,
and come in a storm from the south.(G)
15 The Lord of hosts will protect them;
they will devour and conquer with sling stones,
they will drink and become heated as with wine;
they will be full like bowls—like the corners of the altar.(H)
16 And the Lord their God will save them:
the people, like a flock on that day;(I)
For like gemstones of a crown[j]
they will shine on the land.
17 Then how good and how lovely!
Grain will make the young men flourish,
and new wine the young women.(J)
Footnotes
- 9:1–8 The opening verses of Second Zechariah delineate the ideal boundaries of a restored Israel. Echoing the ideas of Haggai and First Zechariah (chaps. 1–8), the prophet reiterates the notion that the rebuilt Temple will bring about peace. The areas to be returned to Israel include Syria (Aram), with the cities of Hadrach and Damascus; Phoenicia, with the cities of Tyre and Sidon; and Philistia, with the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod.
- 9:1 An oracle: this designation also introduces Zec 12:1 and Mal 1:1, suggesting a connection among the three units. The term functions as both a title to the larger literary unit (Zec 9–11) and a part of the message of the opening oracular statement.
- 9:7 The Jebusites: the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Jerusalem, conquered by David and incorporated into Israel.
- 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.
- 9:13 Your sons, O Yavan: the reference is to the Greeks and their struggle with the Persians for control of Syria-Palestine and the eastern Mediterranean in the mid-fifth century B.C.
- 9:16 Like gemstones of a crown: imagery reminiscent of First Zechariah (3:9; 4:7, 10; 6:11, 14) and evocative of the Temple and the priestly headgear (cf. Ex 29:6 and Lv 8:9).
Zechariah 9
English Standard Version
Zechariah 9
English Standard Version
Judgment on Israel's Enemies
9 The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach
and (A)Damascus is its resting place.
For the Lord has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,[a]
2 (B)and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
(C)Tyre and (D)Sidon, though (E)they are very wise.
3 Tyre has built herself (F)a rampart
and (G)heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down (H)her power on the sea,
and (I)she shall be devoured by fire.
5 (J)Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
6 (K)a mixed people[b] shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
7 I will take away (L)its blood from its mouth,
and (M)its abominations from between its teeth;
(N)it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like (O)a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
8 Then (P)I will encamp at my house as a guard,
(Q)so that none shall march to and fro;
(R)no oppressor shall again march over them,
(S)for now I see with my own eyes.
The Coming King of Zion
9 (T)Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
(U)Behold, (V)your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
(W)humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 (X)I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and (Y)the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and (Z)he shall speak peace to the nations;
(AA)his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from (AB)the River[c] to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, because of (AC)the blood of my covenant with you,
(AD)I will set your prisoners free from (AE)the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold, O (AF)prisoners of hope;
today I declare that (AG)I will restore to you double.
13 For (AH)I have bent Judah as my bow;
I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, (AI)O Greece,
and wield you like a warrior's sword.
The Lord Will Save His People
14 Then the Lord will appear over them,
and (AJ)his arrow will go forth like lightning;
(AK)the Lord God will sound the trumpet
and will march forth in (AL)the whirlwinds (AM)of the south.
15 The Lord of hosts (AN)will protect them,
and (AO)they shall devour, (AP)and tread down the sling stones,
and (AQ)they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine,
and be full like a bowl,
drenched (AR)like the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the Lord their God will save them,
as (AS)the flock of his people;
for (AT)like the jewels of a crown
they shall shine on his land.
17 (AU)For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
(AV)Grain shall make the young men flourish,
and new wine the young women.
Footnotes
- Zechariah 9:1 Or For the eye of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, is toward the Lord
- Zechariah 9:6 Or a foreign people; Hebrew a bastard
- Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
Zechariah 9
New International Version
Zechariah 9
New International Version
Judgment on Israel’s Enemies
9 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]
2 and on Hamath(C) too, which borders on it,
and on Tyre(D) and Sidon,(E) though they are very skillful.
3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
she has heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the dirt of the streets.(F)
4 But the Lord will take away her possessions
and destroy(G) her power on the sea,
and she will be consumed by fire.(H)
5 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.
6 A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
and I will put an end(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
7 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)
8 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
9 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
- Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
- Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
- Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV-ZH)
Copyright © 2004 by World Bible Translation Center