Zechariah 9
Judgment against Israel’s Enemies
1. This is the message[a] from the Lord against the land of Aram[b] and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.
2. Doom is certain for Hamath, 2 near Damascus, 2 and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon, 2 though they are so clever.
3. Tyre has built a strong fortress 3 and has made silver and gold 3 as plentiful as dust in the streets!
4. But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessions 4 and hurl its fortifications into the sea, 4 and it will be burned to the ground.
5. The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall 5 and will be filled with fear. 5 Gaza will shake with terror, 5 as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed. 5 Gaza’s king will be killed, 5 and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6. Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod. 6 I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
7. I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths 7 and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth. 7 Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God 7 and become like a clan in Judah.[c] 7 The Philistines of Ekron will join my people, 7 as the ancient Jebusites once did.
8. I will guard my Temple 8 and protect it from invading armies. 8 I am watching closely to ensure 8 that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land.
Zion’s Coming King
9. Rejoice, O people of Zion![d] 9 Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! 9 Look, your king is coming to you. 9 He is righteous and victorious,[e] 9 yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— 9 riding on a donkey’s colt.
10. I will remove the battle chariots from Israel[f] 10 and the warhorses from Jerusalem. 10 I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, 10 and your king will bring peace to the nations. 10 His realm will stretch from sea to sea 10 and from the Euphrates River[g] to the ends of the earth.[h]
11. Because of the covenant I made with you, 11 sealed with blood, 11 I will free your prisoners 11 from death in a waterless dungeon.
12. Come back to the place of safety, 12 all you prisoners who still have hope! 12 I promise this very day 12 that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
13. Judah is my bow, 13 and Israel is my arrow. 13 Jerusalem[i] is my sword, 13 and like a warrior, I will brandish it against the Greeks.[j]
14. The Lord will appear above his people; 14 his arrows will fly like lightning! 14 The Sovereign Lord will sound the ram’s horn 14 and attack like a whirlwind from the southern desert.
15. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people, 15 and they will defeat their enemies by hurling great stones. 15 They will shout in battle as though drunk with wine. 15 They will be filled with blood like a bowl, 15 drenched with blood like the corners of the altar.
16. On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, 16 just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. 16 They will sparkle in his land 16 like jewels in a crown.
17. How wonderful and beautiful they will be! 17 The young men will thrive on abundant grain, 17 and the young women will flourish on new wine.
Footnotes:
a. 9:1a: Hebrew An Oracle: The message.
b. 9:1b: Hebrew land of Hadrach.
c. 9:7: Hebrew like a leader in Judah.
d. 9:9a: Hebrew O daughter of Zion!
e. 9:9b: Hebrew and is being vindicated.
f. 9:10a: Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 9:13.
g. 9:10b: Hebrew the river.
h. 9:10c: Or the end of the land.
i. 9:13a: Hebrew Zion.
j. 9:13b: Hebrew the sons of Javan.