Zechariah 9
International Children’s Bible
Punishment on Israel’s Enemies
9 This message is the word of the Lord.
The message is against the land of Hadrach.
And it is against the city of Damascus.
The tribes of Israel and all people
belong to the Lord.
2 The Lord’s message is also against the city of Hamath, which is on the border of the land of Hadrach.
The Lord’s message is against Tyre and Sidon, with their skill.
3 Tyre has built a strong, walled city.
The people have piled up silver like dust.
They have as much gold as mud in the streets.
4 But the Lord will take away all she has.
He will destroy her power on the sea.
That city will be destroyed by fire.
5 The city of Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
The people of Gaza will shake with fear.
And the people of Ekron will lose hope.
No king will be left in Gaza.
And no one will live in Ashkelon anymore.
6 Foreigners will live in Ashdod.
And I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will stop them from drinking blood.
They will not eat any other forbidden food.
Those left alive will belong to God.
They will be leaders in Judah.
And Ekron will become part of my people like the Jebusites.
8 I will protect my Temple
from armies who come and go.
No one will hurt my people again
because now I am guarding it.
The King Is Coming
9 Rejoice, people of Jerusalem.
Shout for joy, people of Jerusalem.
Your king is coming to you.
He does what is right, and he saves.
He is gentle and riding on a donkey.
He is on the colt of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the horses from Jerusalem.
The bows used in war will be broken.
The king will talk to the nations about peace.
His kingdom will go from sea to sea,
and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
11 My people, I made an agreement with you
and sealed it with the blood of sacrifices.
Because of this, I will set your prisoners free from captivity,
which is like a dry pit.
12 You prisoners who have hope,
return to your place of safety.
Today I am telling you
that I will give you back twice as much as before.
13 I will use Judah like a bow.
And Ephraim will be like the arrows.
Jerusalem, I will use your men
to fight the men of Greece.
I will make you like the sword of a warrior.
14 Then the Lord will appear to them.
He will shoot his arrows like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet.
And he will march in the storms of the south.
15 The Lord of heaven’s armies will protect them.
They will destroy the enemy with slingshots.
They will drink and shout like drunk men.
They will be filled like a bowl
used for sprinkling blood at the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the Lord their God will save them
as if his people were sheep.
They will shine in his land
like jewels in a crown.
17 They will be so pretty and beautiful.
The young men will grow strong on the grain.
And the young women will grow strong on new wine.
Zechariah 9
New King James Version
Israel Defended Against Enemies
9 The [a]burden of the word of the Lord
Against the land of Hadrach,
And (A)Damascus its resting place
(For (B)the eyes of men
And all the tribes of Israel
Are on the Lord);
2 Also against (C)Hamath, which borders on it,
And against (D)Tyre and (E)Sidon, though they are very (F)wise.
3 For Tyre built herself a tower,
Heaped up silver like the dust,
And gold like the mire of the streets.
4 Behold, (G)the Lord will cast her out;
He will destroy (H)her power in the sea,
And she will be devoured by fire.
5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear;
Gaza also shall be very sorrowful;
And (I)Ekron, for He dried up her expectation.
The king shall perish from Gaza,
And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 “A[b] mixed race shall settle (J)in Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the (K)Philistines.
7 I will take away the blood from his mouth,
And the abominations from between his teeth.
But he who remains, even he shall be for our God,
And shall be like a leader in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
8 (L)I will camp around My house
Because of the army,
Because of him who passes by and him who returns.
No more shall an oppressor pass through them,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
The Coming King(M)
9 “Rejoice (N)greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, (O)your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I (P)will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The (Q)battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be (R)‘from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’
God Will Save His People
11 “As for you also,
Because of the blood of your covenant,
I will set your (S)prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to the stronghold,
(T)You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore (U)double to you.
13 For I have bent Judah, My bow,
Fitted the bow with Ephraim,
And raised up your sons, O Zion,
Against your sons, O Greece,
And made you like the sword of a mighty man.”
14 Then the Lord will be seen over them,
And (V)His arrow will go forth like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
And go (W)with whirlwinds from the south.
15 The Lord of hosts will (X)defend them;
They shall devour and subdue with slingstones.
They shall drink and roar as if with wine;
They shall be filled with blood like [c]basins,
Like the corners of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will (Y)save them in that day,
As the flock of His people.
For (Z)they shall be like the [d]jewels of a crown,
(AA)Lifted like a banner over His land—
17 For (AB)how great is [e]its goodness
And how great its (AC)beauty!
(AD)Grain shall make the young men thrive,
And new wine the young women.
Footnotes
- Zechariah 9:1 oracle, prophecy
- Zechariah 9:6 Lit. An illegitimate one
- Zechariah 9:15 Sacrificial basins
- Zechariah 9:16 Lit. stones
- Zechariah 9:17 Lit. His
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.