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9:1  ·This message is [An oracle/burden of] the word of the Lord. The message is against the land of Hadrach [C region north of Israel] and ·the city of Damascus [L Damascus its resting place]. ·All [L For the eyes of all] people, including all the tribes of Israel ·belong to [or are on] the Lord.
9:2  The message is also against the city of Hamath, on the border, and against Tyre and Sidon [C cities on the coast northwest of Israel], ·with their skill [or though they are very wise/clever].
9:3  Tyre has built a ·strong wall [fortress; stronghold] for herself. She has piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud in the streets.
9:4  But [L look; T behold] the Lord will take away all she has and ·destroy her power on [or throw her fortifications into] the sea. That city will be ·destroyed [consumed; devoured] by fire.
9:5  ·The city of Ashkelon [L Ashkelon] will see it and be afraid. ·The people of Gaza [L Gaza] will ·shake with fear [writhe in anguish], and ·the people of Ekron [L Ekron] ·will lose hope [or their hope will wither]. No king will be left in Gaza, and no one will live in Ashkelon anymore.
9:6  ·Foreigners [A mixed/mongrel people] will live in Ashdod, and I will ·destroy [L cut off] the pride of the Philistines.
9:7  I will ·stop them from drinking blood [L take the blood from their mouths; Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16, 23] and ·from eating forbidden food [L its abominations from between its teeth]. Those left alive will belong to God. They will be ·leaders [or like a clan] in Judah, and Ekron will become like the Jebusites [C ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem who were assimilated into Judah].
9:8  I will ·protect [encamp around] my ·Temple [L house] from armies who would come or go. No ·one [oppressor] will ·hurt [overrun; pass over] my people again, because now I ·am watching them [L see with my eyes].
9:9  Rejoice greatly, ·people of Jerusalem [L Daughter Zion]! Shout for joy, ·people of Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem]! [L Look; T Behold] Your king is coming to you. He ·does what is right [is righteous/just], and he saves. He is ·gentle [lowly; humble] and riding on a donkey, on ·the colt [L a colt, the foal] of a donkey [Matt. 21:5; John 12:15].
9:10  I will ·take away [L cut off] the chariots from Ephraim and the ·horses [warhorses] from Jerusalem. The bows used in war will be broken. The king will ·talk about [announce; bring] peace to the nations. His ·kingdom [dominion; rule] will go from sea to sea, and from the ·Euphrates River [L River] to the ends of the earth.
9:11  As for you, because of the blood of ·the agreement [my covenant/treaty] with you I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
9:12  You prisoners who have hope, return to ·your place of safety [the fortress/stronghold]. Today I ·am telling you [announce; declare] that I will ·give you back twice as much as before [return double what you lost].
9:13  I will ·use [L bend] Judah like a bow and Ephraim like the arrows. ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple], I will ·use your men [L rouse your sons/children] ·to fight the men of [against your sons/children,] Greece. I will use you like a warrior’s sword.
9:14  Then the Lord will appear above them, and his arrows will shoot like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, and he will march in the ·storms [whirlwinds] of the south.
9:15  The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will protect them; they will ·destroy [L eat and subdue] the enemy with slingshots. They will drink and shout like drunks. They will be filled like a bowl used for sprinkling blood ·at [or and drenched with blood like] the corners of the altar.
9:16  On that day the Lord their God will save them as ·if his people were sheep [L the flock of his people]. They will shine in his land like jewels in a crown.
9:17  They will be so ·pretty [fine; good] and beautiful. The young men will grow strong on the grain and the young women on new wine.