1An oracle. The word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is its resting place—for the eye of humankind and all the tribes of Israel is toward Yahweh—
2and also Hamath, which borders on it, and Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3Tyre built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will dispossess her and strike down her power in the sea, and she herself will be consumed by fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and will writhe greatly, and Ekron, for her hope is put to shame. The king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
6A mongrel people will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7I will remove his blood from his mouth and his abominations from between his teeth, and he too will be a remnant for our God; he will become like a clan-chief in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite.
8I will encamp at my house as a guard against any who pass by or return, and no oppressor will pass over them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.
9Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11As for you also, by the blood of your covenant I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which there is no water.
12Return to the stronghold, prisoners of hope! Today I also declare that I will restore to you double.
13For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have filled it with Ephraim as an arrow. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.
14Then Yahweh will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord Yahweh will blow the trumpet and march in the storms of the south.
15Yahweh of Hosts will shield them, and they will devour and subdue the slingstones; they will drink and roar as if with wine, and they will be filled like the sacrificial bowl, like the corners of the altar.
16On that day Yahweh their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for they are like the stones of a crown, sparkling over his land.
17For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.
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