 1 The burden of the Word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach and its resting place, Damascus when the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel will be toward the Lord. 2 Hamath also borders on it. Tyre and Sidon though very wise. 3 Tyre shall build herself a stronghold, and shall heap up silver like the dust, and gold like the mud of the streets. 4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out. He will strike her wealth in the sea and she will be burned up with fire. 5 Ashkelon will see and fear. Gaza will writhe in great pain. Ekron will be ashamed for her hope. The king will perish from Gaza and Ashkelon will not be inhabited. 6 A bastard will live in Ashdod and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7 I will take away his bloods out of his mouth and his idolatries from between his teeth. But the remnant, even he, will be for our God. He will be as a governor in Judah and Ekron like a Jebusite. 8 I will camp around my house because of the army, because of him who passed by and because of him who returns. No tyrant will pass through them any more. For now I have seen with my eyes. 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your King comes to you. He is righteous and victorious, meek and riding on a donkey colt, the son of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. 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. 11 You also, by the blood of your covenant, I have freed your prisoners out of the pit in which is no water. 12 Turn to the stronghold, prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will return to you double. 13 For I have bent Judah for me as a bow; I filled it with Ephraim, and I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you as the sword of a mighty man. 14 The Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth like the lightning. And the Lord God shall blow the ram's horn, and shall go out with the windstorms of the south. 15 The Lord of hosts will defend them and they will devour and trample the slingstones. They will drink and be boisterous as through wine. They will be filled like a bowl and like the corners of the altar. 16 The Lord their God will save them in that day as the flock of His people. For they are as stones of a crown lifted up like a banner over His land. 17 For how great is its goodness and how great its beauty. Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the virgins.
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