Israel Defended Against Enemies

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);
Also against (C)Hamath, which borders on it,
And against (D)Tyre and (E)Sidon, though they are very (F)wise.

For Tyre built herself a tower,
Heaped up silver like the dust,
And gold like the mire of the streets.
Behold, (G)the Lord will cast her out;
He will destroy (H)her power in the sea,
And she will be devoured by fire.

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.

“A[b] mixed race shall settle (J)in Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the (K)Philistines.
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.
(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.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:1 oracle, prophecy
  2. Zechariah 9:6 Lit. An illegitimate one

The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach,
and Damascus shall be the rest thereof:
when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.
And Hamath also shall border thereby;
Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.
And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold,
and heaped up silver as the dust,
and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
Behold, the Lord will cast her out,
and he will smite her power in the sea;
and she shall be devoured with fire.
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.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
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.
And I will encamp about mine 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 mine eyes.

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