Zec 9 | LSB | STEP | The oracle of the word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward Yahweh),

‏ Zechariah 9

Yahweh’s Oracle Against Israel’s Enemies

1 The ^{▼▼Or burden}oracle of the word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward Yahweh),

2 And Hamath also, which borders on it;
And Tyre and Sidon, ^{▼▼Or though}because ^{▼▼They think they are}they are very wise.
3 So Tyre built herself a tight fortification
And tied up silver like dust
And fine gold like the mire of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her
And strike her wealth down into the sea;
And she will be consumed with fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza too will writhe in great pain;
Also Ekron, for her hope has been put to shame.
Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
6 And those of illegitimate birth will inhabit Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a ^{▼▼Or chief}clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
8 But I will camp around My house ^{▼▼Or as a guard, so that none will go back and forth}because of an army,
Because of him who passes by and returns;
And no taskmaster will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.

The Coming King of Zion

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is ^{▼▼Or vindicated and victorious}righteous and endowed with salvation,
^{▼▼ Or humble, afflicted}Lowly and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a ^{▼▼Or foal, cf. Gen 49:11}colt, the ^{▼▼Or donkey’s colt, cf. Gen 49:11; lit son of a female donkey}foal of a pack animal.
10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
And the bow of war will be cut off.
And He will speak peace to the nations;
And His reign will be from sea to sea
And from the ^{▼▼The Euphrates River}River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant,
I have set your prisoners free from the ^{▼▼Lit cistern in which there is no water}waterless pit.
12 Return to the ^{▼▼Or Stronghold}stronghold, O prisoners ^{▼▼Lit of the hope}who have the hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will return double to you.
13 For I will bend Judah ^{▼▼Lit for Me}as My bow;
I will fill the bow with Ephraim.
And I will rouse up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O ^{▼▼Lit Javan}Greece;
And I will make you like a mighty man’s sword.
14 Then Yahweh will appear over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning;
And Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet
And will go in the storm winds of the south.
15 Yahweh of hosts will defend them.
And they will consume and trample on the stones of a sling;
And they will drink and roar as with wine;
And they will be filled like a sacrificial bowl,
Drenched like the corners of the altar.
16 And Yahweh their God will save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a crown,
^{▼▼ Or Displayed over}Sparkling in His land.
17 For what goodness and what beauty will be ^{▼▼Lit his}theirs!
Grain will make the choice men flourish, and new wine the virgins.