¹ An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is its resting place. For to Yahweh belongs the eye of humankind,¹ and all the tribes of Israel,

1. “Eye of humankind” is difficult to understand in this context; some scholars emend the phrase to “cities of Aram” or “capital of Aram”

² and also Hamath, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon—yes, they are very wise!¹

1. That is, wise in their own eyes (ironic)

³ Tyre has built a fortification for itself,¹ and it heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the mud of the streets.

1. Hebrew “her”

⁴ Look! The Lord will drive it¹ out and will hurl its² outer ramparts into the sea, and it³ will be consumed by fire.

1. Hebrew “her”
2. Hebrew “her”
3. Hebrew “she”

⁵ Ashkelon will see and will be afraid, and Gaza will writhe exceedingly, and Ekron also, because its hope is ruined.¹ And the king from Gaza will perish, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

1. Traditionally “ashamed”; some presuppose a different Hebrew form and translate “withered”

⁶ A mongrel people¹ will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut down the pride of the Philistines.

1. That is, a people of mixed marriage; “half-breeds”

⁷ I will remove its¹ blood from its² mouth, and its³ abominations from between its⁴ teeth. And it⁵ too will be a remnant for our God; and it⁶ will be like a tribal chief⁷ in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusite.

1. Hebrew “his”
2. Hebrew “his”
3. Hebrew “his”
4. Hebrew “his”
5. Hebrew “he”
6. Hebrew “he”
7. This word is sometimes interpreted as “clan”

⁸ But I will encamp at my temple¹ like a guard, against those crossing through and returning; no oppressor will cross through them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.

1. Or “house”

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, ⌞the foal of⌟¹ a female donkey!

1. Literally “the son of ”

¹⁰ And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow will be cut down, and he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River¹ to the ends of the earth.

1. That is, the Euphrates

¹¹ As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will release your prisoners from ⌞the waterless pit⌟.¹

1. Literally “the cistern there is not water in him”

¹² Return to the fortress, O prisoners of hope; today I am declaring that I will repay you double.

¹³ For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have set Ephraim as an arrow. I will set in motion your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan.¹ I will wield you like the sword of a warrior.

1. That is, Greece

¹⁴ Then Yahweh will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; and my Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet, and he shall go out in the storm winds of the south.

¹⁵ Yahweh of hosts will defend them, and they will devour and subdue the slingstones;¹ they will drink, they will make noise² like wine, and they will be full like the sacrificial basin,³ drenched like the corners of an altar.

1. Perhaps metonymy for the slingers of stones
2. LXX reads “they will drink blood like wine”
3. That is, the ceremonial bowl used by the priest for sprinkling blood

¹⁶ And Yahweh their God will save them on that day, as the flock of his people; for they are like the stones of a diadem, glittering on his land.

¹⁷ For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.