Zechariah 9-10

New Life Version

Other Nations Are Judged

9 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 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 For Tyre built a strong tower for herself. She gathered silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. ⁴ But the Lord will take away her riches and throw them into the sea. And she will be destroyed by fire. ⁵ 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 mixed people will live in Ashdod, and I will destroy the pride 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. ⁸ 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 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 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 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 city, you prisoners who have hope. Today I am telling you that I will give you twice as much as you had before. 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. ¹⁴ 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 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 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 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.

Israel Will Be Brought Home

10 Ask the Lord for rain in the spring time. It is the Lord Who makes the storm clouds. He gives rain to men, and gives vegetables in the field to every one. ² The false gods say what is not true. Those who use their secret ways tell lies about the false dreams they have seen. Their comfort means nothing. So the people go from place to place like sheep and are troubled because they have no shepherd. ³ “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the Lord of All has visited His flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like His proud horse in battle. ⁴ From them will come the cornerstone. From them will come the tent nail. From them will come the bow of battle. And from them will come every ruler. ⁵ Together they will be like powerful men, crushing under foot those who hate them into the mud of the streets. They will fight and win the battle against the horsemen because the Lord is with them. ⁶ I will give strength to the family of Judah. I will save the family of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have loving-pity on them. They will be as if I had not turned away from them. For I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them. ⁷ Ephraim will be like a powerful man. Their hearts will be glad as with wine. And their children will see it and be glad. Their hearts will have joy in the Lord. ⁸ I will call them together, for I have saved them and set them free. And they will be as many as they were before. ⁹ Even when I send them everywhere among the nations, they will remember Me in far countries. They and their children will live and return. ¹⁰ I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until there is no more room for them. ¹¹ When they pass through the sea of trouble, I will hold back the waves in the sea. The whole Nile River will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and Egypt will lose its power. ¹² I will make My people Israel strong in the Lord, and they will walk in His name,” says the Lord.