Zechariah 9–10: Humble and Riding on a Donkey": The King Comes
Scripture: Berean Standard Bible
This is the burden of the word of the LORDagainst the land of Hadrachand Damascus its resting place—for the eyes of menand of all the tribes of Israelare upon the LORD —and also against Hamath,which borders it,as well as Tyre and Sidon,though they are very shrewd.
Tyre has built herself a fortress;she has heaped up silver like dust,and gold like the dirt of the streets.Behold, the Lord will impoverish herand cast her wealth into the sea,and she will be consumed by fire.
Ashkelon will see and fear;Gaza will writhe in agony,as will Ekron,for her hope will wither.There will cease to be a king in Gaza,and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.A mixed race will occupy Ashdod,and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.I will remove the blood from their mouthsand the abominations from between their teeth.Then they too will become a remnant for our God;they will become like a clan in Judah,and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.But I will camp around my house because of an army,because of those who march to and fro,and never again will an oppressor overrun my people,for now I keep watch with my own eyes.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem!See, your King comes to you,righteous and victorious,humble and riding on a donkey,on a colt, the foal of a donkey.And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraimand the horse from Jerusalem,and the bow of war will be broken.Then he will proclaim peace to the nations.His dominion will extend from sea to sea,and from the Euphratesto the ends of the earth.As for you,because of the blood of my covenant,I will release your prisonersfrom the waterless pit.Return to your stronghold,O prisoners of hope;even today I declarethat I will restore to you double.For I will bend Judah as my bowand fit it with Ephraim.I will rouse your sons, O Zion,against the sons of Greece.I will make you like the swordof a mighty man.
Then the LORD will appear over them,and his arrow will go forth like lightning.The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s hornand advance in the whirlwinds of the south.The LORD of Hosts will shield them.They will destroy and conquer with slingstones;they will drink and roar as with wine.And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls,drenched like the corners of the altar.On that day the LORD their God will save themas the flock of his people;for like jewels in a crownthey will sparkle over his land.How lovely they will be,and how beautiful!Grain will make the young men flourish,and new wine, the young women.Ask the LORD for rain in springtime;the LORD makes the storm clouds,and he will give everyone showers of rainand crops in the field.For idols speak deceitand diviners see illusions;they tell false dreamsand offer empty comfort.Therefore the people wander like sheep,oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
“My anger burns against the shepherds,and I will punish the leaders.For the LORD of Hosts attends to his flock,the house of Judah;he will make themlike his royal steed in battle.The cornerstone will come from Judah,the tent peg from him,as well as the battle bowand every ruler together.They will be like mighty men in battle,trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets.They will fight because the LORD is with them,and they will put the horsemen to shame.
I will strengthen the house of Judahand save the house of Joseph.I will restore them because I have compassion on them,and they will be as though I had not rejected them.For I am the LORD their God,and I will answer them.Ephraim will be like a mighty man,and their hearts will be glad as with wine.Their children will see it and be joyful;their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
I will whistle for them to gather,for I have redeemed them;and they will be as numerousas they once were.Though I sow them among the nations,they will remember me in distant lands;they and their childrenwill live and return.I will bring them back from Egyptand gather them from Assyria.I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanonuntil no more room is found for them.They will pass through the sea of distressand strike the waves of the sea;all the depths of the Nile will dry up.The pride of Assyria will be brought down,and the scepter of Egypt will depart.I will strengthen them in the LORD,and in his name they will walk,”declares the LORD.