9
1 An oracle of the word of the LORD concerning the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place, for the eye of humanity and of all the tribes of Israel is toward the LORD,
2 and also concerning Hamath, which borders it, and Tyre and Sidon, though she is very wise.
3 Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and fine gold like mud in the streets.
4 But the Lord will dispossess her and strike down her power in the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza will writhe in great anguish, and so will Ekron, because her hope has been put to shame.
A king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
6 “A people of mixed birth will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will remove his blood from his mouth and his abominations from between his teeth.
He too will remain for our God and will be like a chief in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite.
8 I will encamp for my house against an army, against those passing through and returning.
No oppressor will pass over them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.”
9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout, daughter of Jerusalem!
Look, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be cut off.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you, because of the blood of your covenant, I have released your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12 Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
13 For I have bent Judah as my bow and loaded it with Ephraim.
I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.”
14 The LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go out like lightning.
The Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and march in the whirlwinds of the south.
15 The LORD of hosts will shield them.
They will devour;
they will trample slingstones.
They will drink and roar as if from wine, and they will be filled like a sacrificial bowl, like the corners of the altar.
16 The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people, for they are the stones of a crown, raised high over his land.
17 How great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.