Zechariah 9 - The Message (MSG)

The Whole World Has Its Eyes on God

9 1-6 War Bulletin:

God’s Message challenges the country of Hadrach.
It will settle on Damascus.
The whole world has its eyes on God.
Israel isn’t the only one.
That includes Hamath at the border,
and Tyre and Sidon, clever as they think they are.
Tyre has put together quite a kingdom for herself;
she has stacked up silver like cordwood,
piled gold high as haystacks.
But God will certainly bankrupt her;
he will dump all that wealth into the ocean
and burn up what’s left in a big fire.
Ashkelon will see it and panic,
Gaza will wring its hands,
Ekron will face a dead end.
Gaza’s king will die.
Ashkelon will be emptied out,
And a villain will take over in Ashdod.

6-8 “I’ll take proud Philistia down a peg:
I’ll make him spit out his bloody spoils
and abandon his vile ways.”
What’s left will be all God’s—a core of survivors,
a family brought together in Judah—
But enemies like Ekron will go the way of the Jebusites,
into the dustbin of history.
“I will set up camp in my home country
and defend it against invaders.
Nobody is going to hurt my people ever again.
I’m keeping my eye on them.

A Humble King Riding a Donkey

9-10 “Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion!
Raise your voice, Daughter Jerusalem!
Your king is coming!
a good king who makes all things right,
a humble king riding a donkey,
a mere colt of a donkey.
I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim,
no more war horses in Jerusalem,
no more swords and spears, bows and arrows.
He will offer peace to the nations,
a peaceful rule worldwide,
from the four winds to the seven seas.

11-13 “And you, because of my blood covenant with you,
I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells.
Come home, hope-filled prisoners!
This very day I’m declaring a double bonus—
everything you lost returned twice-over!
Judah is now my weapon, the bow I’ll pull,
setting Ephraim as an arrow to the string.
I’ll wake up your sons, O Zion,
to counter your sons, O Greece.
From now on
people are my swords.”

14-17 Then God will come into view,
his arrows flashing like lightning!
Master God will blast his trumpet
and set out in a whirlwind.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies will protect them—
all-out war,
The war to end all wars,
no holds barred.
Their God will save the day. He’ll rescue them.
They’ll become like sheep, gentle and soft,
Or like gemstones in a crown,
catching all the colors of the sun.
Then how they’ll shine! shimmer! glow!
the young men robust, the young women lovely!

You Might Also Like:

Zechariah 9 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

9 The burden of a word of Jehovah against the land of Hadrach, and Demmeseh -- his place of rest: (When to Jehovah [is] the eye of man, And of all the tribes of Israel.) 2 And also Hamath doth border thereon, Tyre and Zidon, for -- very wise! 3 And Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

9 The burden of the word of the Lord, in the land of Hadrach, and of Damascus, (shall be for) the rest thereof; for of the Lord is the eye of man, and of all [the] lineages of Israel. (The charge, or the heavy burden, of the word of the Lord, for the land of Hadrach, and the city of Damascus, which ...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - World English Bible (WEB)

9 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;2 and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.3 Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver lik...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - The Voice (VOICE)

9 This is the message with which the Eternal burdened His prophet.He has set His message against the land of Hadrach, and the city of Damascus is its resting place.For the eyes of all humanity—especially His people from the tribes of Israel— are fixed on the Eternal.2 His message is also against Ham...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies9 The burden[a] of the word of Adonai is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are toward Adonai—2 and also upon Hamath bordering it, and upon Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.3 Tyre built hers...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies9 An OracleThe word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus.For to the Lord belong the cities of Aram,[a] even as all the tribes of Israel;2 Hamath also, which borders thereon, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.3 Tyre has built herse...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies9 An OracleThe word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus.For to the Lord belong the cities of Aram,[a] even as all the tribes of Israel;2 Hamath also, which borders thereon, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.3 Tyre has built herse...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Judgement on Israel’s Enemies9 An Oracle.The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus.For to the Lord belongs the capital[a] of Aram,[b] as do all the tribes of Israel;2 Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.3 Tyre has built it...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies9 An Oracle.The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus.For to the Lord belongs the capital[a] of Aram,[b] as do all the tribes of Israel;2 Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.(A)3 Tyre has built ...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Judgment against Israel’s Enemies9 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, near Damascus,and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon, though they a...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New Life Version (NLV)

Other Nations Are Judged9 The Word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For the eyes of men and all the family groups of Israel are on the Lord. 2 The Word of the Lord is against Hamath also, which is beside Hadrach, and against Tyre and Sidon, even though they ar...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Israel Defended Against Enemies9 The [a]burden of the word of the LordAgainst the land of Hadrach,And (A)Damascus its resting place(For (B)the eyes of menAnd all the tribes of IsraelAre on the Lord);2 Also against (C)Hamath, which borders on it,And against (D)Tyre and (E)Sidon, though they are very ...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Judgment on Israel’s enemies9 A prophecy:The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus –for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord – [a]2 and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skilful.3 ...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New International Version (NIV)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies9 A prophecy:(A)The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus(B)—for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord—[a]2 and on Hamath(C) too, which borders on it, and on Tyre(D) and Sidon,(E) though they are ver...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Lord Destroys Israel’s Enemies9 This is a prophecy.It is the Lord’s message against the land of Hadrak. He will judge Damascus.That’s because all the tribes of Israel look to him. So do all other people.2 The Lord will judge Hamath too. It’s next to Damascus.He will also punish Tyre and Sidon ev...
Read More

Zechariah 9 - New English Translation (NET)

The Coming of the True King9 This is an oracle,[a] the Lord’s message concerning the land of Hadrach,[b] with its focus on Damascus:[c]The eyes of all humanity,[d] especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord, 2 as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, Tyre and Sidon, though ...
Read More