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An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach,

and Damascus is its resting place.
    For to Yahweh belongs the eye of humankind,[a]
        and all the tribes of Israel,
and also Hamath, which borders on it;
    Tyre and Sidon—yes, they are very wise![b]
Tyre has built a fortification for itself,[c]
    and it heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the mud of the streets.
Look! The Lord will drive it[d] out
    and will hurl its[e] outer ramparts into the sea,
        and it[f] will be consumed by fire.
Ashkelon will see and will be afraid,
    and Gaza will writhe exceedingly,
    and Ekron also, because its hope is ruined.[g]
And the king from Gaza will perish,
    and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
A mongrel people[h] will dwell in Ashdod,
    and I will cut down the pride of the Philistines.
I will remove its[i] blood from its[j] mouth,
    and its[k] abominations from between its[l] teeth.
And it[m] too will be a remnant for our God;
    and it[n] will be like a tribal chief[o] in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusite.
But I will encamp at my temple[p] like a guard,
    against those crossing through and returning;
no oppressor will cross through them again,
    for now I have seen with my own eyes.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:1 “Eye of humankind” is difficult to understand in this context; some scholars emend the phrase to “cities of Aram” or “capital of Aram”
  2. Zechariah 9:2 That is, wise in their own eyes (ironic)
  3. Zechariah 9:3 Hebrew “her”
  4. Zechariah 9:4 Hebrew “her”
  5. Zechariah 9:4 Hebrew “her”
  6. Zechariah 9:4 Hebrew “she”
  7. Zechariah 9:5 Traditionally “ashamed”; some presuppose a different Hebrew form and translate “withered”
  8. Zechariah 9:6 That is, a people of mixed marriage; “half-breeds”
  9. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “his”
  10. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “his”
  11. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “his”
  12. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “his”
  13. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “he”
  14. Zechariah 9:7 Hebrew “he”
  15. Zechariah 9:7 This word is sometimes interpreted as “clan”
  16. Zechariah 9:8 Or “house”

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.

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