1 T he 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.

The Word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For the eyes of men and all the family groups of Israel are on the Lord.

2 A nd Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

The Word of the Lord is against Hamath also, which is beside Hadrach, and against Tyre and Sidon, even though they are very wise.

3 A nd Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

For Tyre built a strong tower for herself. She gathered silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4 B ehold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

But the Lord will take away her riches and throw them into the sea. And she will be destroyed by fire.

5 A shkelon 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.

Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza will suffer with much pain. So will Ekron, for her hope will be destroyed. Gaza will lose her king, and no one will live in Ashkelon.

6 A nd a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

A mixed people will live in Ashdod, and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

7 A nd 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.

I will take the blood from their mouths, and the unclean food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God, and be like a family in Judah. Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8 A nd I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

Then I will camp around My land and keep armies from going through it. No one will make it hard for them again, for now I am keeping watch. The Future King

9 R ejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Be full of joy, O people of Zion! Call out in a loud voice, O people of Jerusalem! See, your King is coming to you. He is fair and good and has the power to save. He is not proud and sits on a donkey, on the son of a female donkey.

10 A nd I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

I will destroy the war-wagon from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle-bow will be broken. He will make peace among the nations and rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. The Lord Will Save His People

11 A s for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

As for you, because of the blood of My agreement with you, I have set your people free from the deep hole that has no water.

12 T urn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

Return to the strong city, you prisoners who have hope. Today I am telling you that I will give you twice as much as you had before.

13 w hen I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

I will use Judah as My bow, and Ephraim as My arrow. I will move your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a soldier’s sword.

14 A nd the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Then the Lord will be seen over them, and His arrow will go out like lightning. The Lord God will blow the horn and go in the storm winds of the south.

15 T he Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

The Lord of All will fight for them, and they will destroy, and walk on the stones that were to be thrown at them. They will drink and make much noise as with wine. They will be filled like a cup used for putting blood on the corners of the altar.

16 A nd the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people. For they are like the stones of a crown, shining in His land.

17 F or how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

How good and how beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men grow strong. And the young, pure women will grow strong with new wine.