Zechariah 9

1 A message: the word of the Lord in the land of Sedrach, and his sacrifice will be in Damascus, because the Lord looks on humanity and on all the tribes of Israel.

2 Hamath lies within its borders, as do Tyre and Sidon, because they were very wise.

3 Tyre built strongholds for herself and piled up silver like dust and gold like mud in the streets.

4 Therefore the Lord will take her as a possession, strike her power into the sea, and consume her with fire.

5 Ashkelon will see and fear. Gaza will writhe in pain, and so will Ekron, ashamed of her error. Gaza’s king will perish, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.

6 Outsiders will live in Ashdod, and I will bring down the Philistines’ pride.

7 I will remove the blood from their mouths and the detestable things from between their teeth. These people too will be left for our God. They will become like a commander of a thousand in Judah, and Ekron will become like a Jebusite.

8 I will set a defense around my house so that no one passes through or turns back, and no oppressor will ever come against them again, because now I have seen with my own eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Proclaim it aloud, daughter of Jerusalem! Look — your King is coming to you, righteous and one who rescues. He is gentle and rides on a donkey, on a young colt.

10 He will completely destroy Ephraim’s chariots and Jerusalem’s horses. The bow of war will be completely destroyed, and there will be abundance and peace from the nations. He will rule over the waters from sea to sea, and over the rivers to the ends of the earth.

11 Because of the blood of your covenant, you have sent your prisoners out of the waterless pit.

12 Live in strongholds, you prisoners of the assembly. For one day of your captivity, I will repay you double.

13 I have bent Judah as my bow and filled it with Ephraim. I will raise your children, Zion, against the children of the Greeks, and I will wield you like a warrior’s sword.

14 The Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will flash like lightning. The Lord Almighty will blow the trumpet and advance in the storm of his threat.

15 The Lord Almighty will shield them. They will devour them and bury them with sling stones; they will drink them down like wine and fill the altar like bowls.

16 On that day the Lord will rescue them — his people, like a flock — because holy stones roll over his land.

17 Whatever comes from him is good and beautiful: grain for the young men and fragrant wine for the young women.