Zechariah, 9

1. An oracle: The word of the LORD is upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is its resting place, For the cities of Aram are the LORD'S, as are all the tribes of Israel,

1. A proclamation. The word of Yahweh is against Hadrach, it has come to rest on Damascus, for the source of Aram belongs to Yahweh no less than all the tribes of Israel;

2. Hamath also, on its border, Tyre too, and Sidon, however wise they be.

2. on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on (Tyre and) Sidon, despite her acumen.

3. Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the mire of the streets.

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

4. Lo, the LORD will strip her of her possessions, and smite her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

4. And now the Lord is going to dispossess her; at sea he will break her power, and she herself will go up in flames.

5. Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid; Gaza also: she shall be in great anguish; Ekron, too, for her hope shall come to nought. The king shall disappear from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited,

5. Seeing this, Ashkelon will be terrified, Gaza too, and writhe with grief, Ekron too, at the ruin of her prospects; the king will vanish from Gaza and Ashkelon be unpeopled,

6. and the baseborn shall occupy Ashdod. I will destroy the pride of the Philistine

6. while a half-breed will live in Ashdod! Yes, I shall destroy the pride of the Philistine;

7. and take from his mouth his bloody meat, and his abominations from between his teeth: He also shall become a remnant for our God, and shall be like a family in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

7. I shall snatch his blood from his mouth, his abominations from between his teeth. But his remnant too will belong to our God, becoming like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will become like a Jebusite.

8. I will encamp by my house as a guard that none may pass to and fro; No oppressor shall pass over them again, for now I have regard for their affliction.

8. I shall stand guard before my home to defend it against all comers, and no oppressor will overrun them ever again, for now I am on the alert.

9. Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, Meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.

9. Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is approaching, he is vindicated and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; The warrior's bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

10. He will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem; the bow of war will be banished. He will proclaim peace to the nations, his empire will stretch from sea to sea, from the River to the limits of the earth.

11. As for you, for the blood of your covenant with me, I will bring forth your prisoners from the dungeon.

11. As for you, because of the blood of your covenant I have released your prisoners from the pit in which there is no water.

12. In the return to the fortress of the waiting prisoners, This very day, I will return you double for your exile.

12. Come back to the fortress, you prisoners waiting in hope. This very day, I vow, I shall make it up to you twice over.

13. For I will bend Judah as my bow, I will arm myself with Ephraim; I will arouse your sons, O Zion, (against your sons, O Yavan,) and I will use you as a warrior's sword.

13. For I have strung Judah as a bow for myself, laid Ephraim on the string as an arrow, have roused your sons, Zion, against your sons, Javan, and have made you like a warrior's sword.

14. The LORD shall appear over them, and his arrow shall shoot forth as lightning; The LORD God shall sound the trumpet, and come in a storm from the south.

14. Then Yahweh will appear above them and his arrow will flash out like lightning. (The Lord) Yahweh will sound the trumpet and advance in the storm-winds of the south.

15. The LORD of hosts shall be a shield over them, they shall overcome sling stones and trample them underfoot; They shall drink blood like wine, till they are filled with it like libation bowls, like the corners of the altar.

15. Yahweh Sabaoth will protect them! They will devour, will trample on the sling-stones, they will drink blood like wine, awash like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

16. And the LORD, their God, shall save them on that day, his people, like a flock. For they are the jewels in a crown raised aloft over his land.

16. Yahweh their God will give them victory when that day comes, like the sheep who are his people; yes, the stones of a diadem will sparkle over his country.

17. For what wealth is theirs, and what beauty! grain that makes the youths flourish, and new wine, the maidens!

17. How fine, how splendid that will be, with wheat to make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens!