Judgment on Israel’s Enemies
9 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 herself a fortress
and heaped up silver like dust
and fine gold like dirt in the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will impoverish her
and destroy her power on the sea,
while she will be devoured by fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and fear.
Gaza will writhe in pain
as will Ekron because her hope will dry up.
The king will perish from Gaza
and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.
6 A mongrel people will live in Ashdod
and I will cut off the Philistines’ pride.
7 I will remove the blood from his mouth,
forbidden food from between his teeth.
Whoever is left will be a remnant for our God.
He will be like a leader in Judah,
and Ekron will be like a Jebusite.
8 But I will camp around My House
against marauding forces.
No oppressor will overrun them again—
for now I watch with My own eyes.
Zion’s Coming King
9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout, daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you,
a righteous one bringing salvation.
He is lowly, riding on a donkey—
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.[b]
10 I will banish chariots from Ephraim
and horses from Jerusalem,
and the war bow will be broken.
He will speak shalom to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, by the blood of your covenant,[c]
I will release your prisoners from the waterless Pit.
12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope!
Today I declare that I will restore twice as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as my bow
and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, O Zion
against your sons, O Greece.
I will wield you like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then Adonai will be seen over them
as His arrow flashes like lightning.
Adonai Elohim will blow the shofar
and march in whirlwinds of the south.[d]
15 Adonai-Tzva’ot will defend them.
They will consume and conquer with sling stones.
They will drink and roar as with wine
and be filled like a bowl,
like the corners of the altar.
16 Adonai their God will save them on that day
as the flock of His people.
They will be like gems of a crown
sparkling over His land.
17 How good and beautiful it will be!
Grain will make the young men thrive
and new wine the virgin women.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 9:1 Or, weighty oracle.
- Zechariah 9:9 cf. Matt. 21:5; John 12:15.
- Zechariah 9:11 cf. Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:20.
- Zechariah 9:14 cf. Matt. 24:31.