Zechariah 9:1–7

A prophecy:

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak

and will come to rest on Damascus—

for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel

are on the Lord—

and on Hamath too, which borders on it,

and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.

Tyre has built herself a stronghold;

she has heaped up silver like dust,

and gold like the dirt of the streets.

But the Lord will take away her possessions

and destroy her power on the sea,

and she will be consumed by fire.

Ashkelon will see it and fear;

Gaza will writhe in agony,

and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.

Gaza will lose her king

and Ashkelon will be deserted.

A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,

and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.

I will take the blood from their mouths,

the forbidden food from between their teeth.

Those who are left will belong to our God

and become a clan in Judah,

and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

A pronouncement:

The word of the Lord

is against the land of Hadrach,

and Damascus is its resting place—

for the eyes of humanity

and all the tribes of Israel

are on the Lord—

and also against Hamath, which borders it,

as well as Tyre and Sidon,

though they are very shrewd.

Tyre has built herself a fortress;

she has heaped up silver like dust

and gold like the dirt of the streets.

Listen! The Lord will impoverish her

and cast her wealth into the sea;

she herself will be consumed by fire.

Ashkelon will see it and be afraid;

Gaza too, and will writhe in great pain,

as will Ekron, for her hope will fail.

There will cease to be a king in Gaza,

and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.

A mongrel people will live in Ashdod,

and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

I will remove the blood from their mouths

and the abhorrent things

from between their teeth.

Then they too will become a remnant for our God;

they will become like a clan in Judah

and Ekron like the Jebusites.

This is the message from the Lord against the land of Aram and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.

Doom is certain for Hamath,

near Damascus,

and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon,

though they are so clever.

Tyre has built a strong fortress

and has made silver and gold

as plentiful as dust in the streets!

But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessions

and hurl its fortifications into the sea,

and it will be burned to the ground.

The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall

and will be filled with fear.

Gaza will shake with terror,

as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed.

Gaza’s king will be killed,

and Ashkelon will be deserted.

Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod.

I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths

and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth.

Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God

and become like a clan in Judah.

The Philistines of Ekron will join my people,

as the ancient Jebusites once did.

An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach,

and Damascus is its resting place.

For to Yahweh belongs the eye of humankind,

and all the tribes of Israel,

and also Hamath, which borders on it;

Tyre and Sidon—yes, they are very wise!

Tyre has built a fortification for itself,

and it heaped up silver like dust,

and gold like the mud of the streets.

Look! The Lord will drive it out

and will hurl its outer ramparts into the sea,

and it will be consumed by fire.

Ashkelon will see and will be afraid,

and Gaza will writhe exceedingly,

and Ekron also, because its hope is ruined.

And the king from Gaza will perish,

and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

A mongrel people will dwell in Ashdod,

and I will cut down the pride of the Philistines.

I will remove its blood from its mouth,

and its abominations from between its teeth.

And it too will be a remnant for our God;

and it will be like a tribal chief in Judah,

and Ekron will be like the Jebusite.

The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach,

And Damascus shall be the rest thereof:

When the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.

And Hamath also shall border thereby;

Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold,

And heaped up silver as the dust,

And fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will cast her out,

And he will smite her power in the sea;

And she shall be devoured with fire.

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear;

Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful,

And Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed;

And the king shall perish from Gaza,

And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod,

And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth,

And his abominations from between his teeth:

But he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God,

And he shall be as a governor in Judah,

And Ekron as a Jebusite.