Zechariah (Douay: Zacharias) 9

¹ A revelation. The LORD’s word is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus – for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward the LORD –

² and Hamath, also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

³ Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.

⁴ Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.

⁵ Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

⁶ Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

⁷ I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also will be a remnant for our God; and he will be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

⁸ I will encamp around my house against the army, that no one pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes.

⁹ Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

¹⁰ I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

¹¹ As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.

¹² Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

¹³ For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have loaded the bow with Ephraim. I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

¹⁴ The LORD will be seen over them. His arrow will flash like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

¹⁵ The LORD of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and overcome with sling stones. They will drink, and roar as through wine. They will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

¹⁶ The LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

¹⁷ For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

¹ TThe burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and of Damascus the rest thereof: for the eye of man, and of all the tribes of Israel is the Lord’s.

² Emath also in the borders thereof, and Tyre, and Sidon: for they have taken to themselves to be exceeding wise.

³ And Tyre hath built herself a strong hold, and heaped together silver as earth, and gold as the mire of the streets.

⁴ Behold the Lord shall possess her, and shall strike her strength in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire.

⁵ Ascalon shall see, and shall fear, and Gaza, and shall be very sorrowful: and Accaron, because her hope is confounded: and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited.

⁶ And the divider shall sit in Azotus, and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

⁷ And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: and even he shall be left to our God, and he shall be as a governor in Juda, and Accaron as a Jebusite.

⁸ And I will encompass my house with them that serve me in war, going and returning, and the oppressor shall no more pass through them: for now I have seen with my eyes.

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.

¹⁰ And I will destroy the chariot out of Ephraim, and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the bow for war shall be broken: and he shall speak peace to the Gentiles, and his power shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the end of the earth.

¹¹ Thou also by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.

¹² Return to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, I will render thee double as I declare today.

¹³ Because I have bent Juda for me as a bow, I have filled Ephraim: and I will raise up thy sons, O Sion, above thy sons, O Greece, and I will make thee as the sword of the mighty.

¹⁴ And the Lord God shall be seen over them, and his dart shall go forth as lightning: and the Lord God will sound the trumpet, and go in the whirlwind of the south.

¹⁵ The Lord of hosts will protect them: and they shall devour, and subdue with the stones of the sling: and drinking they shall be inebriated as it were with wine, and they shall be filled as bowls, and as the horns of the altar.

¹⁶ And the Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of his people: for holy stones shall be lifted up over his land.

¹⁷ For what is the good thing of him, and what is his beautiful thing, but the corn of the elect, and wine springing forth virgins?