9
The Burden against Israel’s Enemies
1 This is the burden of the word of the LORD
against the land of Hadrach
and Damascus its resting place-
for the eyes of men
and of all the tribes of Israel
are upon the LORD * 9:1 Or for the eye of the LORD is on all men and all the tribes of Israel-
2 and also against Hamath,
which borders it,
as well as Tyre and Sidon,
though they are very shrewd.
3 Tyre has built herself a fortress;
she has heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the dirt of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will impoverish her
and cast her wealth into the sea,† 9:4 Or strike down her power on the sea
and she will be consumed by fire.
5 Ashkelon will see and fear;
Gaza will writhe in agony,
as will Ekron,
for her hope will wither.
There will cease to be a king in Gaza,
and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.
6 A mixed race will occupy Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will remove the blood from their mouths
and the abominations from between their teeth.
Then they too will become a remnant for our God;
they will become like a clan ‡ 9:7 Or like a leader in Judah,
and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
8 But I will camp around My house because of an army,
because of those who march to and fro,
and never again will an oppressor overrun My people,
for now I keep watch with My own eyes.
Zion’s Coming King
(Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)
9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your King comes to you,
righteous and victorious,§ 9:9 Or righteous and endowed with salvation
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.* 9:9 Cited in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15
10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim † 9:10 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel
and the horse from Jerusalem,
and the bow of war will be broken.
Then He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion will extend from sea to sea,
and from the Euphrates ‡ 9:10 Hebrew the River
to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you,
because of the blood of My covenant,
I will release your prisoners
from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold,
O prisoners of hope;
even today I declare
that I will restore to you double.
13 For I will bend Judah as My bow
and fit it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, O Zion,
against the sons of Greece.§ 9:13 Hebrew the sons of Javan
I will make you like the sword
of a mighty man.
The LORD Will Save His People
14 Then the LORD will appear over them,
and His arrow will go forth like lightning.
The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn
and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.
15 The LORD of Hosts will shield them.
They will destroy and conquer with slingstones;
they will drink and roar as with wine.
And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls,
drenched like the corners of the altar.
16 On that day the LORD their God will save them
as the flock of His people;
for like jewels in a crown
they will sparkle over His land.
17 How lovely they will be,
and how beautiful!
Grain will make the young men flourish,
and new wine, the young women.
*9:1 9:1 Or for the eye of the LORD is on all men and all the tribes of Israel
†9:4 9:4 Or strike down her power on the sea
‡9:7 9:7 Or like a leader
§9:9 9:9 Or righteous and endowed with salvation
*9:9 9:9 Cited in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15
†9:10 9:10 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel
‡9:10 9:10 Hebrew the River
§9:13 9:13 Hebrew the sons of Javan