1 T he burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting-place (for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Jehovah);

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, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are 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 Tyre did build herself a stronghold, 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 dispossess her, 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, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; 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; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain 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 my house against the army, that none pass through or return; 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, even 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 nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River 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, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from 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 stronghold, 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 F or I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and will make 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 Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will 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 J ehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like 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 Jehovah their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over 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! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.

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.