1 A sentença pronunciada pelo Senhor é contra a terra de Hadraque e repousa sobre Damasco, porque o Senhor põe os olhos sobre os homens e sobre todas as tribos de Israel; 2 também repousa sobre Hamate, que confina com ele, sobre Tiro e Sidom, cuja sabedoria é grande. 3 Tiro edificou para si fortalezas e amontoou prata como o pó e ouro, como a lama das ruas. 4 Eis que o Senhor a despojará e precipitará no mar a sua força; e ela será consumida pelo fogo. 5 Asquelom o verá e temerá; também Gaza e terá grande dor; igualmente Ecrom, porque a sua esperança será iludida; o rei de Gaza perecerá, e Asquelom não será habitada. 6 Povo bastardo habitará em Asdode, e exterminarei a soberba dos filisteus. 7 Da boca destes tirarei o sangue dos sacrifícios idólatras e, dentre os seus dentes, tais abominações; então, ficarão eles como um restante para o nosso Deus; e serão como chefes em Judá, e Ecrom, como jebuseu. 8 Acampar-me-ei ao redor da minha casa para defendê-la contra forças militantes, para que ninguém passe, nem volte; que não passe mais sobre eles o opressor; porque, agora, vejo isso com os meus olhos.

9 Alegra-te muito, ó filha de Sião; exulta, ó filha de Jerusalém: eis aí te vem o teu Rei, justo e salvador, humilde, montado em jumento, num jumentinho, cria de jumenta. 10 Destruirei os carros de Efraim e os cavalos de Jerusalém, e o arco de guerra será destruído. Ele anunciará paz às nações; o seu domínio se estenderá de mar a mar e desde o Eufrates até às extremidades da terra.

11 Quanto a ti, Sião, por causa do sangue da tua aliança, tirei os teus cativos da cova em que não havia água. 12 Voltai à fortaleza, ó presos de esperança; também, hoje, vos anuncio que tudo vos restituirei em dobro. 13 Porque para mim curvei Judá como um arco e o enchi de Efraim; suscitarei a teus filhos, ó Sião, contra os teus filhos, ó Grécia! E te porei, ó Sião, como a espada de um valente. 14 O Senhor será visto sobre os filhos de Sião, e as suas flechas sairão como o relâmpago; o Senhor Deus fará soar a trombeta e irá com os redemoinhos do Sul. 15 O Senhor dos Exércitos os protegerá; eles devorarão os fundibulários e os pisarão; também beberão deles o sangue como vinho; encher-se-ão como bacias do sacrifício e ficarão ensopados como os cantos do altar. 16 O Senhor, seu Deus, naquele dia, os salvará, como ao rebanho do seu povo; porque eles são pedras de uma coroa e resplandecem na terra dele. 17 Pois quão grande é a sua bondade! E quão grande, a sua formosura! O cereal fará florescer os jovens, e o vinho, as donzelas.

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.

1 A prophecy: The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus — for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD — [^1]

2 and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.

3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

4 But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

5 Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted.

6 A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8 But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River "to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword.

14 Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,

15 and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling "the corners of the altar.

16 The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

17 How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.