UST ZEC Chapter 9

◄ ZEC 9 ► ║ ═ ©

9 This is another message that Yahweh gave to me. Yahweh said, “I pay close attention to all people everywhere, and especially to all the tribes of Israel. So I will punish the people who live in the region of Hadrach and in the city of Damascus.” 2 I will also punish the people of the nearby city of Hamath, and the people of the cities of Tyre and Sidon, even though those people think that they are very wise.

3 The people of Tyre have built a strong wall around their city, and they have piled up as much silver and gold as if it were dust and mud in the streets. 4 But I, the Lord, will take away everything that the people of Tyre own, and I will destroy their ships out at sea, and an enemy army will burn their city down.

5 When the people of the city of Ashkelon see that happen, they will be afraid. The people of the city of Gaza will tremble in great anguish, and the people of the city of Ekron will tremble too, because they will no longer expect anything good to happen. There will no longer be a king ruling in Gaza, and no one will live in Ashkelon anymore. 6 People of mixed descent will live in the city of Ashdod, and so I will cause the Philistine people to no longer be proud. 7 I will no longer allow them to eat meat that still has blood in it, and I will no longer allow them to eat the disgusting food that they offered to their idols. Then the Philistine people who survive will worship me and become my people, like one of the clans in Judah. The people of the city of Ekron will become my people, just as the people of the city of Jebus did.

8 I will protect my temple like an army that guards it, so that no enemy soldiers can march through it or come back to attack it. No one who oppresses my people will ever invade them again, because now I am watching over my people carefully.

9 You people of Jerusalem, rejoice very much! Shout joyfully! Your king is coming to you. He does what is right, and God will give him victory. He is humble, and he will ride into the city on a donkey, on a young donkey.

10 Yahweh says “I will take away the chariots from the region of Ephraim and the war horses from the city of Jerusalem, and I will destroy the bows that soldiers use in war. Your king will tell the nations that they will now live peacefully. He will rule over all the earth, from one sea to the farthest sea, and from the Euphrates River to the most distant places on the earth.”

11 As for you people of Jerusalem, because of the blood of the animals that the priests killed when I made my covenant with you, I will set your people free, the ones who suffer like prisoners stuck in a dry pit that has no water in it. 12 You people who are like prisoners but who still confidently expect me to help you, return to your land, where you will be safe. Today I am telling you that I will give back to you twice as much as you have lost. 13 I will use the people of Judah to fight for me like a warrior uses a bow, and I will use the people of Ephraim like the arrows in that bow. People of Jerusalem, I will stir up your young men to fight against the army of Greece, and I will make you as powerful as a warrior’s sword.

14 Then Yahweh will appear above his people, and the arrows that he shoots will flash like lightning. Yahweh my Lord will blow a trumpet to signal the attack, and he will advance fiercely like a storm blowing from the south. 15 Yahweh, the commander of the heavenly armies, will protect his people. His soldiers will completely defeat their enemies who attack them with slingstones. Those soldiers will shout in victory and celebrate as noisily as men who have drunk much wine. They will be as full of joy as the bowls that the priests fill with blood and pour out on the corners of the altar.

16 On that day, Yahweh, the God his people worship, will rescue them, just as a shepherd rescues his flock of sheep from danger. They will be as precious to him as sparkling jewels in a crown shining over his land. 17 How wonderful and how beautiful everything will be! The young men will grow strong from eating plenty of grain, and the young women will grow strong from drinking plenty of new wine.”

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