Study Desk

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

and on Hamath^(c) too, which borders on it, and on Tyre^(d) and Sidon,^(e) though they are very skillful.

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

But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy^(g) her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.^(h)

Ashkelon⁽ⁱ⁾ 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.

A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end^(j) to the pride of the Philistines.

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

But I will encamp^(m) at my temple to guard it against marauding forces.⁽ⁿ⁾ Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.^(o)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!^(p) Shout,^(q) Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you,^(r) righteous and victorious,^(s) lowly and riding on a donkey,^(t) on a colt, the foal of a donkey.^(u)

I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken.^(v) He will proclaim peace^(w) to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River^[b] to the ends of the earth.^(x)

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant^(y) with you, I will free your prisoners^(z) from the waterless pit.^(aa)

Return to your fortress,^(ab) you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice^(ac) as much to you.

I will bend Judah as I bend my bow^(ad) and fill it with Ephraim.^(ae) I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece,^(af) and make you like a warrior's sword.^(ag)

Then the Lord will appear over them;^(ah) his arrow will flash like lightning.^(ai) The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;^(aj) he will march in the storms^(ak) of the south,

and the Lord Almighty will shield^(al) them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones.^(am) They will drink and roar as with wine;^(an) they will be full like a bowl^(ao) used for sprinkling^[c] the corners^(ap) of the altar.

The Lord their God will save his people on that day^(aq) as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.^(ar)

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

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain^(a) to all people, and plants of the field^(b) to everyone.

The idols^(c) speak deceitfully, diviners^(d) see visions that lie; they tell dreams^(e) that are false, they give comfort in vain.^(f) Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.^(g)

"My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders;^(h) for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle.⁽ⁱ⁾

From Judah will come the cornerstone,^(j) from him the tent peg,^(k) from him the battle bow,^(l) from him every ruler.

Together they^[a] will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.^(m) They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.⁽ⁿ⁾

"I will strengthen^(o) Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion^(p) on them.^(q) They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer^(r) them.

The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine.^(s) Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice^(t) in the Lord .

I will signal^(u) for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous^(v) as before.

Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me.^(w) They and their children will survive, and they will return.

I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria.^(x) I will bring them to Gilead^(y) and Lebanon, and there will not be room^(z) enough for them.

They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.^(aa) Assyria's pride^(ab) will be brought down and Egypt's scepter^(ac) will pass away.^(ad)

I will strengthen^(ae) them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,^(af)" declares the Lord .