9This is the message from the Lord against the land of Aram and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.H4853H1697H3068H776H2317H1834H4496H5869H120H7626H3478H30682Doom is certain for Hamath, near Damascus, and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon, though they are so clever.H2574H1379H6865H6721H3966H24493Tyre has built a strong fortress and has made silver and gold as plentiful as dust in the streets!H6865H1129H4692H6651H3701H6083H2742H2916H23514But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessions and hurl its fortifications into the sea, and it will be burned to the ground.H136H3423H5221H2428H3220H398H7845The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall and will be filled with fear. Gaza will shake with terror, as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed. Gaza’s king will be killed, and Ashkelon will be deserted.H831H7200H3372H5804H3966H2342H6138H4007H3001H4428H6H5804H831H34276Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod. I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.H4464H3427H795H3772H1347H64307I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth. Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God and become like a clan in Judah. The Philistines of Ekron will join my people, as the ancient Jebusites once did.H5493H1818H6310H8251H8127H7604H430H441H3063H6138H29838I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies. I am watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land.H2583H1004H4675H5674H7725H5065H5674H7200H5869
Zion’s Coming King
9Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.H1523H3966H1323H6726H7321H1323H3389H4428H935H6662H3467H6041H7392H2543H5895H1121H86010I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, and your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.H3772H7393H669H5483H3389H4421H7198H3772H1696H7965H1471H4915H3220H3220H5104H657H77611Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon.H1818H1285H7971H615H953H432512Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.H7725H1225H615H8615H3117H5046H7725H493213Judah is my bow, and Israel is my arrow. Jerusalem is my sword, and like a warrior, I will brandish it against the Greeks.H1869H3063H4390H7198H669H5782H1121H6726H1121H3120H7760H2719H136814The Lord will appear above his people; his arrows will fly like lightning! The Sovereign Lord will sound the ram’s horn and attack like a whirlwind from the southern desert.H3068H7200H2671H3318H1300H136H3069H8628H7782H1980H5591H848615The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people, and they will defeat their enemies by hurling great stones. They will shout in battle as though drunk with wine. They will be filled with blood like a bowl, drenched with blood like the corners of the altar.H3068H6635H1598H398H3533H7050H68H8354H1993H3196H4390H4219H2106H419616On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.H3068H430H3467H3117H6629H5971H68H5145H5264H12717How wonderful and beautiful they will be! The young men will thrive on abundant grain, and the young women will flourish on new wine.H2898H3308H1715H970H5107H8492H1330