1 T he 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.

The burden of a word of Jehovah against the land of Hadrach, and Demmeseh -- his place of rest: (When to Jehovah the eye of man, And of all the tribes of Israel.)

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

And also Hamath doth border thereon, Tyre and Zidon, for -- very wise!

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

And Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.

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

Lo, the Lord doth dispossess her, And He hath smitten in the sea her force, And she with fire is consumed.

5 A shkelon 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.

See doth Ashkelon and fear, Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, Also Ekron -- for her expectation dried up, And perished hath a king from Gaza, And Ashkelon doth not remain,

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

And dwelt hath a foreigner in Ashdod, And I have cut off the excellency of the Philistines.

7 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.

And turned aside his blood from his mouth, His abominations from between his teeth, And he hath remained, even he, to our God, And he hath been as a leader in Judah, And Ekron as a Jebusite.

8 T hen 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

And I have pitched for My house a camp, Because of the passer through, and of the returner, And pass not through against them again doth an exactor, For, now, I have seen with My eyes.

9 B e 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.

Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo, thy King doth come to thee, Righteous -- and saved is He, Afflicted -- and riding on an ass, And on a colt -- a son of she-asses.

10 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

And I have cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, Yea, cut off hath been the bow of battle, And he hath spoken peace to nations, And his rule from sea unto sea, And from the river unto the ends of earth.

11 A s 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.

Also thou -- by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent thy prisoners out of the pit, There is no water in it.

12 R eturn 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.

Turn back to a fenced place, Ye prisoners of the hope, Even to-day a second announcer I restore to thee.

13 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.

For I have trodden for Me Judah, A bow I have filled Ephraim, And I have stirred up thy sons, O Zion, Against thy sons, O Javan, And I have set thee as the sword of a hero.

14 T hen 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.

And Jehovah doth appear for them, And gone forth as lightning hath His arrow, And the Lord Jehovah with a trumpet bloweth, And He hath gone with whirlwinds of the south.

15 T he 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.

Jehovah of Hosts doth cover them over, And they consumed, and subdued sling-stones, Yea, they have drunk, They have made a noise as wine, And they have been full as a bowl, As corners of an altar.

16 T he 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.

And saved them hath Jehovah their God In that day, as a flock of His people, For stones of a crown are displaying themselves over His ground.

17 H ow 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.

For what His goodness! and what His beauty! Corn the young men, And new wine the virgins -- make fruitful!