1 Godspraak. Die woord van die HERE teen die land Hadrag, en op Damaskus bly dit rus -- want die HERE hou die oog op die mense en op al die stamme van Israel.

2 En ook teen Hamat wat daaraan grens; teen Tirus saam met Sidon, want hy is baie slim.

3 Ja, Tirus het vir hom 'n vesting gebou; ook het hy silwer opgehoop soos stof en goud soos modder van die strate.

4 Kyk, die Here sal hom in besit neem en sy skans in die see werp, en hy sal deur vuur verteer word.

5 Askelon sal dit sien en vrees; ook Gasa, wat sal sidder van angs; ook Ekron, omdat sy toeverlaat teleurgestel het; en uit Gasa verdwyn die koning, en Askelon bly onbewoond;

6 en die baster sal in Asdod woon -- so sal Ek dan aan die trotsheid van die Filistyn 'n einde maak --

7 en Ek sal die bloed uit sy mond verwyder en sy verfoeisels tussen sy tande uit; so sal hy dan ook vir onse God oorbly en wees soos 'n stamhoof in Juda, en Ekron soos 'n Jebusiet.

8 En Ek sal om my huis 'n laer trek teen die leërmag, teen die wat heen en weer trek, sodat geen oorheerser hulle weer sal oorrompel nie; want nou het Ek dit met my eie oë gesien.

9 Verheug jou grootliks, o dogter van Sion! Juig, o dogter van Jerusalem! Kyk, jou Koning kom na jou; regverdig en 'n oorwinnaar is Hy; nederig en Hy ry op 'n esel -- op 'n jong esel, die vul van 'n eselin.

10 En Ek sal die strydwaens uit Efraim en die perde uit Jerusalem uitroei, en die strydboog sal vernietig word. Dan sal Hy aan die nasies vrede verkondig, en sy heerskappy sal wees van see tot see, en van die Eufraat tot aan die eindes van die aarde.

11 Ook sal Ek, wat jou betref, o Sion, kragtens die bloed van jou verbond jou gevangenes loslaat uit die put sonder water.

12 Keer terug na die vesting, o hoopvolle gevangenes! Ook kondig Ek vandag aan dat Ek jou dubbel sal vergoed.

13 Want Ek span Juda vir My as boog, lê Efraim as pyl daarop; en Ek vuur jou seuns, o Sion, aan teen jou seuns, o Jawan, en Ek maak jou soos die swaard van 'n held.

14 Dan sal die HERE oor hulle verskyn, en soos weerlig sal sy pyl uitskiet; en die Here HERE sal met die basuin blaas en intrek met die storms uit die suide.

15 Die HERE van die leërskare sal hulle beskut; en hulle sal verslind, ja, slingerstene vertrap; ook sal hulle drink, 'n gedruis maak soos deur wyn en vol wees soos die offerkomme, soos die hoeke van 'n altaar.

16 En die HERE hulle God sal hulle in die dag verlos as die kudde wat sy volk is; want hulle is kroongesteentes wat hulle skitterend verhef oor sy land.

17 Want hoe groot is hulle voortreflikheid, en hoe groot hulle skoonheid! Die koring laat jongmanne en die mos jongedogters groei.

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting-place (for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Jehovah); 2 and Hamath, also, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise. 3 And Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. 4 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. 5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chieftain in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

8 And I will encamp about my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

11 As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water. 12 Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. 13 For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man. 14 And Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south. 15 Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar. 16 And Jehovah their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over his land. 17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.