Zechariah 9

1The burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting-place (for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Jehovah);

1This is a message from the LORD against the land of Hadrach, and it will rest on Damascus—for the eyes of all humanity and the tribes of Israel are on the LORD.

2and Hamath, also, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

2It also includes Hamath, which borders it, and Tyre and Sidon, even though they are very clever.

3And Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

3Tyre built herself a strong fortress; she piled up silver like dust and fine gold like the mud in the streets.

4Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

4But look, the Lord will take away her possessions. He will strike down her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

5Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

5The city of Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza will writhe in pain, and Ekron will lose hope. Gaza will lose its king, and Ashkelon will be deserted.

6And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

6Foreigners will live in Ashdod, and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

7And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

7I will stop them from eating meat with blood in it and take away their forbidden sacrifices. The survivors will belong to our God and become like a clan in Judah; Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8And I will encamp about my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

8I will set up camp around my Temple to guard it against invading armies. No oppressor will ever overrun my people again, for now I am keeping watch with my own eyes.

9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass.

9Rejoice greatly, people of Zion! Shout for joy, people of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

10I will take away the war chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem. The battle bows will be broken, and he will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will stretch from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

11As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water.

11As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I have freed your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.

12Return to your fortress, you prisoners who still have hope. Today I am telling you that I will pay you back double for your trouble.

13For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man.

13I will use Judah as my bow and Ephraim as my arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and use you like a warrior’s sword.

14And Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

14Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet and march forth in the storms of the south.

15Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

15The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will protect them. They will destroy their enemies and trample their sling-stones. They will shout as if they were drunk with wine; they will be filled like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.

16And Jehovah their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

16On that day the LORD their God will save his people like a shepherd saves his flock. They will shine in his land like jewels in a crown.

17For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

17How good and how beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine will make the young women flourish.