9
1 The burden of the Devar Hashem
against Eretz Chadrakh,
and Damascus its menuchah (resting place);
for toward Hashem shall be the eyes of man
as of Kol Shivtei Yisroel (all the tribes of Israel).
2 And Chamat at its border;
Tzor and Tzidon, though it be very wise.
3 And Tzor did build herself a matzor (stronghold),
and heaped up kesef like the dust,
and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
4 Hinei, Adonoi will cause it to be taken,
and He will strike her power on the yam;
and she shall be devoured with eish.
5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear;
Azah (Gaza) also shall see it,
and tremble greatly,
and Ekron; for her hope shall be put to shame;
and Melech shall perish out of Azah (Gaza),
and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 And mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the ga'on (pride) of the Pelishtim (Philistines).
7 And I will take away his dahm out of his mouth,
and his abominations from between his teeth;
but he will also remain to Eloheinu,
and he shall be as a tribe prince in Yehudah,
and Ekron like the Yevusi (Jebusite).
8 And I will encamp about Mine Bais against military power,
because of him that goes maurading to and fro;
and no oppressor shall pass through them any more;
for now I am keeping watch with Mine eyes.
9 Rejoice greatly, O Bat Tziyon;
shout, O Bat Yerushalayim;
hinei, thy Melech cometh unto thee,
tzaddik, and having Salvation;
ani (lowly, meek), and riding upon a chamor,
even upon a colt the foal of a donkey.*
10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephrayim,
and the war horse from Yerushalayim,
and the battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall proclaim shalom unto the Goyim;
and His† dominion shall be from yam even to yam,
and from the‡ River even to the ends of ha'aretz.
11 As for thee also, by the dahm of thy Brit
I release thy prisoners
out of the pit wherein is no mayim.§
12 Return to the stronghold,
ye prisoners of tikvah (hope);
even today do I proclaim
that I will repay double unto thee;
13 I will bend Yehudah as I bend My keshet (bow),
fill it with Ephrayim,
and I will rouse thy banim, O Tziyon,
against thy banim, O Yavan (Greece),
and make thee like the cherev (sword) of a gibbor (mighty man).
14 And Hashem shall be seen over them,
and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning;
and Adonoi Hashem shall sound the shofar,
and shall march forth with storms of the south.
15 Hashem Tzva'os shall shield them;
and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones;
and they shall drink, and shall roar as through yayin;
and they shall be full like a bowl,
like the corners of the mizbe'ach.
16 And Hashem Eloheihem shall save them in Yom HaHu
as the tzon of His people;
for they shall be as the jewels of a crown,
sparkling in His land.
17 For how great is its goodness,
and how great is its beauty!
Grain shall make the bochurim thrive,
and tirosh, the betulot.
* 9:9 Mt 21:5; Yn 12:15 † 9:10 Moshiachʼs ‡ 9:10 Euphrates § 9:11 T.N. Notice the blood of the Covenant is essential to Israelʼs Orthodox faith