Zechariah, 9

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;

1. An Oracle The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For to the LORD belong the cities of Aram, even as all the tribes of Israel;

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

2. Hamath also, which borders thereon, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

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

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

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.

4. But lo, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and hurl her wealth into the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

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,

5. Ash'kelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ash'kelon shall be uninhabited;

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

6. a mongrel people shall dwell in Ashdod; and I will make an end of the pride of Philistia.

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.

7. I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jeb'usites.

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.

8. Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again overrun them, for now I see with my own eyes.

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.

9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

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.

10. I will cut off the chariot from E'phraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

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.

11. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit.

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.

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

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.

13. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made E'phraim its arrow. I will brandish your sons, O Zion, over your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior's sword.

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.

14. Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet, and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

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.

15. The LORD of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour and tread down the slingers; and they shall drink their blood like wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.

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.

16. On that day the LORD their God will save them for they are the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

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

17. Yea, how good and how fair it shall be! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens.