Study Desk

An Oracle The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus^(a) is its resting place— for the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord ^[a]—

and also against Hamath,^(b) which borders it, as well as Tyre^(c) and Sidon,^(d) 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.

Listen! The Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea; she herself will be consumed by fire.^(e)

Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and will writhe in great pain, as will Ekron, for her hope will fail. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.

A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, and I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.^(f)

I will remove the blood from their mouths and the detestable things^(g) from between their teeth. Then they too will become a remnant for our God; they will become like a clan in Judah and Ekron like the Jebusites.^(h)

I will set up camp at My house against an army,^[b] against those who march back and forth, and no oppressor will march against them again, for now I have seen with My own eyes.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious,^[c] humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.⁽ⁱ⁾

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The bow of war will be removed, and He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.^(j)

As for you, because of the blood of your covenant,^(k) I will release your prisoners from the waterless cistern.^(l)

Return to a stronghold, you prisoners who have hope; today I declare that I will restore double to you.^(m)

For I will bend Judah as My bow; I will fill that bow with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece.^[d](n) I will make you like a warrior's sword.

Then the Lord will appear over them, and His arrow will fly like lightning. The Lord God will sound the trumpet and advance with the southern storms.^(o)

The Lord of Hosts will defend them. They will consume and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and be rowdy as if with wine.^(p) They will be as full as the sprinkling basin,^(q) like those at the corners of the altar.^(r)

The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people;^(s) for they are like jewels in a crown,^(t) sparkling over His land.

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

Ask the Lord for rain in the season of spring rain. The Lord makes the rain clouds, and He will give them showers of rain and crops in the field for everyone.^(a)

For the idols speak falsehood, and the diviners^(b) see illusions; they relate empty dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer affliction because there is no shepherd.

My anger burns against the shepherds, so I will punish the leaders.^[a] For the Lord of Hosts has tended His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His majestic steed in battle.

The cornerstone^(c) will come from Judah.^[b] The tent peg^(d) will come from them and also the battle bow^(e) and every^[c] ruler. Together

⁵they will be like warriors in battle trampling down the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put horsemen to shame.

I will strengthen the house of Judah and deliver the house of Joseph.^[d] I will restore^[e] them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had never rejected them.^(f) For I am Yahweh their God, and I will answer them.

Ephraim^(g) will be like a warrior, and their hearts will be glad as if with wine. Their children will see it and be glad;^(h) their hearts will rejoice in Yahweh.

I will whistle⁽ⁱ⁾ and gather them because I have redeemed^(j) them; they will be as numerous as they once were.

Though I sow^(k) them among the nations, they will remember^(l) Me in the distant lands; they and their children will live and return.

I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to the land of Gilead^(m) and to Lebanon, but it will not be enough for them.

Yahweh^[f] will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up.⁽ⁿ⁾ The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will come to an end.

I will strengthen^(o) them in Yahweh, and they will march^(p) in His name— this is Yahweh's declaration.