The Prophet Zechariah

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach and its respite in Damascus. For the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is of the Lord.(a)

Hamath also is at its limits, and Tyre and Sidon. For, of course, they have assumed themselves to be exceedingly wise.

And Tyre has built herself a fortress, and she has piled together silver, as if it were soil, and gold, as if it were the mud of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will possess her, and he will strike her strength in the sea, and she will be devoured by fire.

Ashkelon will see and be afraid. Both Gaza and he will be very sorrowful, as well as Ekron, because her hope has been confounded. And the king will pass away from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

And the divider will sit in Ashdod, and I will scatter the arrogance of the Philistines.

And I will take away his blood from his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth, and yet he will be left for our God, and he will be like a governor in Judah, and Ekron will be like a Jebusite.(b)

And I will encircle my house with those who serve me in war, going and returning, and the exactor will no longer pass over them. For now I have seen with my eyes.(c)

Zion’s Coming King

(Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19)

Rejoice well, daughter of Zion, shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your King will come to you: the Just One, the Savior. He is poor and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt, the son of a donkey.

And I will scatter the four-horse chariot out of Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be destroyed. And he will speak peace to the Gentiles, and his power will be from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the end of the earth.

You, likewise, by the blood of your testimony, have sent forth your prisoners from the pit, in which there is no water.(d)

Turn back to the fortress, prisoners of hope. Today, I also announce that I will repay you double,

because I have stretched out Judah for myself, like a bow; I have filled Ephraim. And I will raise up your sons, Zion, above your sons, Greece. And I will set you as the sword of the strength.(e)

(f)

The LORD Will Save His People

And the Lord God will be seen over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning. And the Lord God will sound the trumpet, and he will go forth into the whirlwind of the South.

The Lord of hosts will protect them. And they will devour and subdue with the stones of the sling. And, when drinking, they will become inebriated, as if with wine, and they will be filled like bowls and like the horns of the altar.

And in that day, the Lord their God will save them as the flock of his people. For holy stones will be lifted up over his land.(g)

For what is his goodness and what is his beauty, other than grain among the elect and wine springing forth virgins?(h)

Footnotes

(a)9:1 Hadrach:Syria.(Challoner)

(b)9:7 His blood:It is spoken of the Philistines, and particularly of Azotus, (where the temple of Dagon was,) and contains a prophecy of the conversion of that people from their bloody sacrifices and abominations to the worship of the true God.(Challoner)

(d)9:11 The word ‘vinctos’ refers to those who have been bound or chained.(Conte)

(e)9:13 Greece was the birthplace of democracy. The sons of Zion, those who are holy, have a higher place in God’s eyes than those who are part of a just democracy. For mercy is greater than justice, and it is better to love God than to rule over men.(Conte)

(f)9:13 Thy sons, O Sion, etc:Viz., the apostles, who, in the spiritual way, conquered the Greeks, and subdued them to Christ.(Challoner)

(g)9:16 Holy stones:The apostles, who shall be as pillars and monuments in the church.(Challoner)

(h)9:17 The corn, etc:His most excellent gift is the blessed Eucharist, called here The corn, that is, the bread of the elect, and the wine springing forth virgins; that is, makes virgins to bud, or spring forth, as it were, like flowers among thorns; because it has a wonderful efficacy to give and preserve purity.(Challoner)

A revelation. The LORD’s word is against the land of Hadrach, and will rest upon Damascus— for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward the LORD—

and Hamath, also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire.

Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Foreigners will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also will be a remnant for our God; and he will be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

I will encamp around my house against the army, that no one pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes.

Zion’s Coming King

(Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19)

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

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.

As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.

Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

For indeed I bend Judah as a bow for me. I have loaded the bow with Ephraim. I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

The LORD Will Save His People

The LORD will be seen over them. His arrow will flash like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

The LORD of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and overcome with sling stones. They will drink, and roar as through wine. They will be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar.

The LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.

For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.