Yahweh’s Oracle Against Israel’s Enemies

¹The 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),[#9:1 Or burden]

²And Hamath also, which borders on it;

And Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

³So Tyre built herself a tight fortification

And tied up silver like dust

And fine gold like the mire of the streets.

⁴Behold, the Lord will dispossess her

And strike her wealth down into the sea;

And she will be consumed with fire.

⁵Ashkelon 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.

⁶And those of illegitimate birth will inhabit Ashdod,

And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

⁷And 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 clan in Judah,

And Ekron like a Jebusite.

⁸But I will camp around My house because of an army,[#9:8 Or as a guard, so that none will go back and forth]

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

⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

He is righteous and endowed with salvation,

Lowly and mounted on a donkey,

Even on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.

¹⁰I 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 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 waterless pit.

¹²Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope;[#9:12 Or Stronghold; #9:12 Lit of the hope]

This very day I am declaring that I will return double to you.

¹³For I will bend Judah as My bow;[#9:13 Lit for Me]

I will fill the bow with Ephraim.

And I will rouse up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;

And I will make you like a mighty man’s sword.

¹⁴Then 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.

¹⁵Yahweh 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.

¹⁶And Yahweh their God will save them in that day

As the flock of His people;

For they are as the stones of a crown,

Sparkling in His land.

¹⁷For what goodness and what beauty will be theirs![#9:17 Lit his]

Grain will make the choice men flourish, and new wine the virgins.