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¹ An oracle. The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrakh, And will rest upon Dammesek; For the eye of man And of all the tribes of Yisra'el is toward the LORD; ² And Hamat, also, which borders on it; Tzor and Tzidon, because they are very wise. ³ Tzor built herself a stronghold, And heaped up silver like the dust, And fine gold like the mire of the streets. ⁴ Behold, the Lord will dispossess her, And he will strike her power in the sea; And she will be devoured with fire. ⁵ Ashkelon will see it, and fear; `Aza also, and will writhe in agony; As will `Ekron, for her expectation will be put to shame; And the king will perish from `Aza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited. <sup>6</sup> Foriegners will dwell in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Pelishtim. <sup>7</sup> 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 Yehudah, And `Ekron as a Yevusi. ⁸ I will encamp around my house against the army, That none pass through or return; And no oppressor will pass through them any more: For now I have seen with my eyes.

⁹ Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! 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. ¹⁰ I will cut off the chariot from Efrayim, And the horse from Yerushalayim; And the battle bow will be cut off; And he will speak shalom to the nations: And his dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the eretz. ¹¹ 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.

¹² Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. ¹³ For indeed I bend Yehudah as a bow for me. I have filled the bow with Efrayim; And I will stir up your sons, Tziyon, Against your sons, Greece, And will make you like the sword of a mighty man. ¹⁴ The LORD will be seen over them; And his arrow will go flash like lightning; And the Lord GOD will blow the shofar, And will go with whirlwinds of the south. ¹⁵ The LORD of Hosts will defend them; And they will destroy and overcome with sling-stones; And they will drink, and roar as through wine; And they will be filled like bowls, Like the corners of the altar. ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ For how great is his goodness, And how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, And new wine the virgins.