1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and of Damascus, his rest, because the eyes of the men and of all the tribes of Israel are turned 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 come to an end in her; Tyre, 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 Tyre built 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 impoverish 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 shall see it and be very sorrowful, and Ekron for her hope shall be confounded; 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 stranger 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 some of them shall remain for our God, and they shall be as captains in Judah, and Ekron as the 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 be the defence and firm support to my house from him that comes and goes; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more, for now I have seen with my 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 ¶ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout with joy, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King shall come unto thee: just, and a saviour; humble, 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 broken and he shall speak peace unto the Gentiles; 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 taken thy prisoners out of the pit in which there 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 ¶ Return to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope; even today 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 as a bow, and I made Ephraim his arrow, and I will raise up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and 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 the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the shofar and shall go forth as the 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 the hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink and make a noise as though drunk with 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 a 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! The wheat shall make the young men cheerful, and the 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.