Zechariah 9

1 This is the burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and Damascus its resting place—for the eyes of men and of all the tribes of Israel are upon the LORD—

2 and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.

3 Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

5 Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.

6 A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will remove the blood from their mouths and the abominations from between their teeth. Then they too will become a remnant for our God; they will become like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8 But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with My own eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double.

13 For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

14 Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.

15 The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar.

16 On that day the LORD their God will save them as the flock of His people; for like jewels in a crown they will sparkle over His land.

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

1 ¶ 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.

2 And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

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

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

5 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.

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

7 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.

8 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.

9 ¶ Rejoice 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, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

10 And 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 heathen: and his dominion [shall be] from sea [even] to sea, and from the river [even] to the ends of the earth.

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein [is] no water.

12 ¶ Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare [that] I will render double unto thee;

13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

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

15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, [and] make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, [and] as the corners of the altar.

16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they [shall be as] the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

17 For how great [is] his goodness, and how great [is] his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

1 This is the burden of which the LORD spake concerning the land of Hadrach, and concerning Damascus, upon which it trusted: for the LORD looketh upon men, and upon all the tribes of Israel,

2 And also concerning Hamath, which bordereth with her, concerning Tyre and Zidon also, which are almost wise.

3 For Tyre buildeth strong, and gathereth silver as the sand, and gold as the dung of the street.

4 But, behold, the LORD will destroy her, and will smite her power that she hath upon the sea, and she shall be as one burnt with fire.

5 And when Asklon shall see it, she shall be afraid, and Gaza shall be sore afraid: and Ekron shall be grieved when she seeth it. For the king of Gasea shall be finished, and there shall be no dwelling in Asklon.

6 In Ashdod shall strangers dwell, and I will cut off the glory of the Philistines:

7 And I will put their blood out of their mouth, and their abominations out of their teeth; and they also shall be left unto our God, and shall become as princes in Judah, and Ekron as the Jebusites.

8 And I myself will encamp round about mine house, that it be not permitted to stand, or to go about, that the beater pass over them no more: for I have now looked upon it with mine eyes.

9 But thou, daughter of Zion, rejoice greatly; and thou, daughter of Jerusalem, exult. Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, a righteous man, and a helper, poor, riding upon an ass, and upon a young colt of the ass!

10 For I will put away the chariots from Ephraim, and the horses from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be broken. For he shall teach peace among the nations; and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the waters even unto the end of the world.

11 Thou also by the blood of thy covenant dost bring forth thy prisoners out of the pit, because there is no water in it.

12 Return ye therefore unto the stronghold, ye that are captives of hope: for this day also will I declare, and repay thee double.

13 For I have set Judah for a bow, and I have armed Ephraim; and I will raise up thy children, O Zion, over thy children, O Greece; and I will set thee as a sword of giants.

14 And the LORD shall appear upon them, and his arrows shall go forth as the lightning. And the LORD HEART shall blow a trumpet, and shall come in as the weather at noonday.

15 The LORD of hosts shall preserve them, that they may devour, and bring them under themselves with sling stones, that they may drink, and boil as of wine, and be filled as the laver, and as the corners of the altar.

16 And the LORD their God shall help them in that day, as he helpeth a flock of his people: for holy stones shall be set up in his land.

17 For what good thing have they before others, and what good thing have they before others? Corn that beareth young men, and must that beareth virgins.