Zechariah 9

The Lord Destroys Israel’s Enemies

9This is the Lord’s message

against the land of Hadrach.

He will judge Damascus.

That’s because all of the tribes of Israel look to him.

So do other people.

²The Lord will judge Hamath too.

It’s next to Damascus.

He will also punish Tyre and Sidon

even though they are very clever.

³Tyre’s people have built a fort for themselves.

They’ve piled up silver like dust.

They have as much gold as the dirt in the streets.

⁴But the Lord will take away everything they have.

He’ll destroy their power on the Mediterranean Sea.

And Tyre will be completely burned up.

⁵Ashkelon will see it and become afraid.

Gaza will groan with pain.

So will Ekron. Its hope will vanish.

Gaza will no longer have a king.

Ashkelon will be deserted.

⁶Strangers will take over Ashdod.

The Lord says, “I will take away everything

the Philistines are so proud of.

⁷They will no longer drink the blood of their animal sacrifices.

I will remove the ‘unclean’ food from between their teeth.

The Philistines who are left will belong to our God.

They will become leaders in Judah.

And Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

So the Philistines will become part of Israel.

⁸But I will guard my temple

against enemy armies.

No one will ever crush my people again.

I will make sure it does not happen.

A King Comes to Zion

⁹“City of Zion, be full of joy!

People of Jerusalem, shout!

See, your king comes to you.

He always does what is right.

He has the power to save.

He is gentle and riding on a donkey.

He is sitting on a donkey’s colt.

¹⁰I will take the chariots away from Ephraim.

I will remove the war horses from Jerusalem.

I will break the bows that are used in battle.

Your king will announce peace to the nations.

He will rule from ocean to ocean.

His kingdom will reach from the Euphrates River

to the ends of the earth.

¹¹I will set your prisoners free

from where their enemies are keeping them.

I will do it because of the blood

that put my covenant with you into effect.

¹²Return to your place of safety,

you prisoners who still have hope.

Even now I announce that I will give you back

much more than you had before.

¹³I will bend Judah as I bend my bow.

I will make Ephraim’s people my arrows.

Zion, I will stir up your sons.

Greece, they will attack your sons.

My people, I will use you as my sword.”

The Lord Will Appear

¹⁴Then the Lord will appear over his people.

His arrows will flash like lightning.

The Lord and King will blow the trumpet of his thunder.

He’ll march out like a storm in the south.

¹⁵The Lord who rules over all

will be like a shield to his people.

They will destroy their enemies.

They’ll use slings to throw stones at them.

They’ll drink the blood of their enemies

as if it were wine.

They’ll be full like the bowl that is used

for sprinkling the corners of the altar.

¹⁶The Lord their God will save his people on that day.

They will be like sheep that belong to his flock.

They will gleam in his land

like jewels in a crown.

¹⁷How very beautiful they will be!

Grain and fresh wine

will make the young men and women strong.