Zechariah 9 - Easy To Read Version Easy To Read Version
Zechariah 9

¹ A message from God. This is the Lord’s message against Hadrach’s country and his capital city, Damascus. “The family groups of Israel are not the only people that know about God. Everyone looks to him for help. {\cf2\super [23]}

² \{And this message is against\} Hamath which borders Hadrach’s country. \{And this message is against\} Tyre and Sidon, even though those people have been so wise and skillful.

³ Tyre is built like a fort. The people there have collected so much silver that it is like dust, and gold is as common as clay.

⁴ But the Lord our Master will take it all. He will destroy her powerful navy and that city will be destroyed by fire!

⁵ “The people in Ashkelon will see those things and they will be afraid. The people of Gaza will shake with fear. And the people of Ekron will lose all hope when they see those things happen. There will be no king left in Gaza. No person will live in Ashkelon any more.

⁶ The people in Ashdod will not even know who their real fathers are. I will completely destroy the proud Philistine people.

⁷ They will no longer eat meat with the blood still in it or any other forbidden food. Any Philistine left living will become a part of my people—they will be just one more family group in Judah. The people of Ekron will become a part of my people, just like the Jebusite people did. I will protect my country.

⁸ I will not let enemy armies pass through it. I will not let them hurt my people any more. With my own eyes I saw how much my people suffered \{in the past\}.”

⁹ City of Zion, rejoice!\par People of Jerusalem, shout with joy!\par Look, your king is coming to you!\par He is the good king that won the victory.\par But he is humble.\par He is riding on a donkey,\par on a young donkey\par born from a work animal.\par

¹⁰ The king says,\par “I destroyed the chariots in Ephraim\par and the horse soldiers in Jerusalem.\par I destroyed the bows used in war.”\par

¹¹ Jerusalem, we used blood\par to seal your Agreement.\par So I am setting your people free\par from that empty hole in the ground. {\cf2\super [24]} \par

¹² Prisoners, go home!\par Now you have something to hope for.\par I am telling you now,\par I am coming back to you!\par

¹³ Judah, I will use you like a bow.\par Ephraim I will use you like arrows.\par Israel, I will use you like a sword\par to fight against the people of Greece.\par

¹⁴ The Lord will appear to them,\par and he will shoot his arrows like lightning.\par The Lord my Master will blow the trumpet,\par and the army will rush forward\par like a desert dust storm.\par

¹⁵ The Lord All-Powerful will protect them.\par The soldiers will use rocks and slings {\cf2\super [25]} \par to defeat the enemy.\par They will spill the blood of their enemies.\par It will flow like wine.\par It will be like the blood that is thrown\par on the corners of the altar!\par

¹⁶ At that time, the Lord their God\par will save his people\par like a shepherd saves his sheep.\par They will be very precious to him.\par They will be like sparkling jewels\par on his land.\par

¹⁷ Everything will be good and beautiful!\par There will be a wonderful crop,\par but it will not be just the food and wine.\par It will be all the young men and women!\par