The 1oracle of the word of Yahweh is against the land of Hadrach, with aDamascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward Yahweh),Or burdenIs 17:1; Jer 49:23-27; Amos 1:3-5
Yahweh’s Oracle Against Israel’s Enemies
2 And aHamath also, which borders on it;bAnd Tyre and cSidon, 1because 2they are dvery wise.Or thoughThey think they areJer 49:23Ezek 28:2-5, 12Ezek 28:213 So Tyre built herself a atight fortificationAnd btied up silver like dustAnd cfine gold like the mire of the streets.Josh 19:29; 2 Sam 24:7Job 27:16; Ezek 27:33; 28:4, 51 Kin 10:21, 274 Behold, the Lord will adispossess herAnd strike her wealth down into the sea;And she will be bconsumed with fire.Ezek 26:3-5Ezek 28:185 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.Gaza too will writhe in great pain;Also Ekron, for her hope has been put to shame.Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.6 And those of illegitimate birth will inhabit aAshdod,And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.Amos 1:8; Zeph 2:47 And I will remove their blood from their mouthAnd their detestable things from between their teeth.Then they also will be a remnant for our God,And be like a 1clan in Judah,And Ekron like a Jebusite.Or chief8 But I will camp around My house 1because of an army,Because of ahim who passes by and returns;And bno taskmaster will pass over them anymore,For now I have seen with My eyes.Or as a guard, so that none will go back and forthIs 52:1Is 54:14; 60:18
The Coming King of Zion
9 aRejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!Behold, your bking is coming to you;He is 1crighteous and dendowed with salvation,2eLowly and mounted on a donkey,Even on a 3fcolt, the 4foal of a pack animal.Or vindicated and victoriousOr humble, afflictedOr foal, cf. Gen 49:11Or donkey’s colt, cf. Gen 49:11; lit son of a female donkeyZeph 3:14, 15; Zech 2:10Ps 110:1; Is 9:6, 7; Jer 23:5, 6; Matt 21:5; John 12:15Zeph 3:5Is 43:3, 11Is 57:15Judg 10:4; Is 30:610 I will acut off the chariot from EphraimAnd the bhorse from Jerusalem;And the cbow of war will be cut off.And He will speak dpeace to the nations;And His ereign will be from sea to seaAnd from the 1River to the ends of the earth.The Euphrates RiverHos 1:7Mic 5:10Hos 2:18Is 57:19; Mic 4:2-4Ps 72:8; Is 60:12
11 As for you also, because of the ablood of your covenant,I have set your bprisoners free from the 1waterless pit.Lit cistern in which there is no waterEx 24:8; Heb 10:2Is 24:22; 51:1412 Return to the 1astronghold, O prisoners 2who have the bhope;This very day I am declaring that I will return cdouble to you.Or StrongholdLit of the hopeJer 16:19; Joel 3:16Jer 14:8; 17:13; Heb 6:18, 19Is 61:713 For I will abend Judah 1as My bow;I will fill the bow with Ephraim.And I will rouse up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O 2bGreece;And I will make you like a cmighty man’s sword.Lit for MeLit JavanJer 51:20Joel 3:6Ps 45:314 Then Yahweh will appear aover them,And His barrow will go forth like lightning;And Lord Yahweh will blow the ctrumpetAnd will go in the dstorm winds of the south.Is 31:5; Zech 2:5Ps 18:14; Hab 3:11Is 27:13Is 21:1; 66:1515 aYahweh of hosts will defend them.And they will bconsume and trample on the cstones of a sling;And they will drink and droar as with wine;And they will be filled like a sacrificial bowl,Drenched like the ecorners of the altar.Is 37:35; Zech 12:8Zech 12:6Job 41:28Ps 78:65Ex 27:216 And Yahweh their God will asave them in that dayAs the flock of His people;For they are as the stones of a bcrown,1Sparkling in His land.Or Displayed overJer 31:10, 11Is 62:317 For what agoodness and bwhat beauty will be 1theirs!Grain will make the choice men flourish, and new wine the virgins.Lit hisJer 31:12, 14Ps 27:4; Is 33:17
Prophecies against Neighboring Nations
The pronouncement of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, with aDamascus as its resting place (for the eyes of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD),Is 17:1; Jer 49:23-27; Amos 1:3-5
2 And aHamath also, which borders on it;bTyre and cSidon, 1though 2they are dvery wise.Or becauseI.e., they think they areJer 49:23Ezek 28:2-5, 12Ezek 28:213 For Tyre built herself a afortress,And bpiled up silver like dust,And cgold like the mud of the streets.Josh 19:29; 2 Sam 24:7Job 27:16; Ezek 27:33; 28:4, 51 Kin 10:21, 274 Behold, the Lord will adispossess herAnd throw her wealth into the sea;And she will be bconsumed with fire.Ezek 26:3-5Ezek 28:185 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.Gaza too will writhe in great pain;Also Ekron, because her hope has been ruined.Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.6 And a people of mixed origins will live in aAshdod,And I will eliminate the pride of the Philistines.Amos 1:8; Zeph 2:47 And I will remove their blood from their mouthAnd their detestable things from between their teeth.Then they also will be a remnant for our God,And be like a 1clan in Judah,And Ekron will be like a Jebusite.Or chief8 But I will camp around My house 1because of an army,Because of ahim who passes by and returns;And bno oppressor will pass over them anymore,For now I have seen with My eyes.Or as a garrison, so that none will go back and forthIs 52:1Is 54:14; 60:189 aRejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem!Behold, your bking is coming to you;He is 1crighteous and dendowed with salvation,eHumble, and mounted on a donkey,Even on a fcolt, the 2foal of a donkey.Or vindicated and victoriousLit son of a female donkeyZeph 3:14, 15; Zech 2:10Ps 110:1; Is 9:6, 7; Jer 23:5, 6; Matt 21:5; John 12:15Zeph 3:5Is 43:3, 11Is 57:15Judg 10:4; Is 30:610 And I will aeliminate the chariot from EphraimAnd the bhorse from Jerusalem;And the cbow of war will be eliminated.And He will speak dpeace to the nations;And His edominion will be from sea to sea,And from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.Hos 1:7Mic 5:10Hos 2:18Is 57:19; Mic 4:2-4Ps 72:8; Is 60:12
Restoration of Judah and Ephraim
11 As for you also, because of the ablood of My covenant with you,I have set your bprisoners free from the 1waterless pit.Lit cistern in which there is no waterEx 24:8; Heb 10:2Is 24:22; 51:1412 Return to the 1astronghold, you prisoners 2who have the bhope;This very day I am declaring that I will restore cdouble to you.Or StrongholdLit of the hopeJer 16:19; Joel 3:16Jer 14:8; 17:13; Heb 6:18, 19Is 61:713 For I will abend Judah 1as My bow,I will fill the bow with Ephraim.And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, bGreece;And I will make you like a cwarrior’s sword.Lit for Me as a bowJer 51:20Joel 3:6Ps 45:314 Then the LORD will appear aover them,And His barrow will go forth like lightning;And the Lord 1GOD will blow the ctrumpet,And march in the dstorm winds of the south.Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORDIs 31:5; Zech 2:5Ps 18:14; Hab 3:11Is 27:13Is 21:1; 66:1515 aThe LORD of armies will protect them.And they will bdevour and trample on the cslingstones;And they will drink and be dboisterous as with wine;And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,Drenched like the ecorners of the altar.Is 37:35; Zech 12:8Zech 12:6Job 41:28Ps 78:65Ex 27:216 And the LORD their God will asave them on that dayAs the flock of His people;For they are like the precious stones of a bcrown,Sparkling on His land.Jer 31:10, 11Is 62:317 For how great will 1their aloveliness and bbeauty be!Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine, the virgins.Lit hisJer 31:12, 14Ps 27:4; Is 33:17
Prophecies against Neighboring Nations
The 1oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach in Syria, with aDamascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD), Nah 1:1I.e. an urgent message the prophet is under compulsion to give.Is 17:1; Jer 49:23-27; Amos 1:3-5
2 And aHamath also, which borders on it ,bTyre and cSidon, though they are dvery wise.Jer 49:23Ezek 28:2-5, 12Ezek 28:213 For Tyre built herself an impregnable astronghold on an island offshore,And she has bheaped up silver like dustAnd cgold like the mire of the streets.Josh 19:29; 2 Sam 24:7Job 27:16; Ezek 27:33; 28:4, 51 Kin 10:21, 274 Behold, the Lord will 1adispossess herAnd throw her wealth into the sea;And Tyre will be bdevoured by fire.In 332 B.C. after a siege lasting seven months, Tyre was conquered by Alexander the Great. At that time Tyre consisted of two urban sites, one on the mainland and the other on the island a half mile from the shore. In order to conquer Tyre Alexander built a causeway from the mainland to the island. History records that he killed everyone except those who fled to the temples, then he ordered the houses to be set afire. The modern city of Sur, Lebanon, is near the site of ancient Tyre.Ezek 26:3-5Ezek 28:185 1Ashkelon will see it and fear;Gaza will writhe in pain,And Ekron, for her hope and expectation, has been ruined.The king will perish from Gaza,And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.Ashkelon, one of the five major Philistine cities (Josh 13:3) was the birthplace of Herod the Great, and the home of his sister, Salome. Gath and Ashdod are the major Philistine cities not named in this verse. Zechariah’s prophecy about Ashkelon’s total destruction was fulfilled during the time of the Crusades, (about A.D. 1260-1270), when Sultan Baibars, who was fighting against the Crusaders, reduced the site of ancient Ashkelon to ruins and filled the harbor with stones.6 And a mongrel race will live in aAshdod,And I will put an end to the pride and arrogance of the Philistines.Amos 1:8; Zeph 2:47 I will take the blood from their mouthsAnd their detestable things from between their teeth those repulsive, idolatrous sacrifices eaten with the blood.Then they too will be a remnant for our God,And be like a clan in Judah,And Ekron will be like one of the 1Jebusites.An ancient tribal people who lived in the area around Jerusalem before it was captured by King David. They were absorbed by other tribes and lost their identity in Israel.8 Then I will camp around My house as a guard because of an army,Because of ahim who passes by and returns;And bno oppressor will again overrun them ,For now My eyes are upon them providentially protecting them.Is 52:1Is 54:14; 60:189 aRejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem!Behold, your bKing is coming to you;He is crighteous and dendowed with salvation,1eHumble and unassuming in submission to the will of the Father and riding on a 2donkey,Upon a fcolt, the foal of a donkey.Quoted in the NT to describe the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, see Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-38; John 12:14-16.As a matter of discussion, the ancient rabbis noted an apparent contradiction between the coming of the Messiah with the clouds of heaven in Dan 7:13, and his riding on a donkey as prophesied here. Their solution was that Messiah would come with the clouds if Israel was worthy, but on a donkey if Israel was not.Zeph 3:14, 15; Zech 2:10Ps 110:1; Is 9:6, 7; Jer 23:5, 6; Matt 21:5; John 12:15Zeph 3:5Is 43:3, 11Is 57:15Judg 10:4; Is 30:610 I will acut off the war chariot from EphraimAnd the war bhorse from Jerusalem,And the cbow of war will be cut off.And He will speak words of dpeace to the nations,And His edominion shall be from sea to sea absolutely endless,And from the River Euphrates to the ends of the earth. Ps 72:8Hos 1:7Mic 5:10Hos 2:18Is 57:19; Mic 4:2-4Ps 72:8; Is 60:12
Salvation of Judah and Ephraim
11 As for you also, because of the ablood of My covenant with you My chosen people, the covenant that was sealed with bloodI have freed your bprisoners from the waterless pit. Gen 37:24; Ex 24:4-8; Heb 9:16Ex 24:8; Heb 10:2Is 24:22; 51:1412 Return to the astronghold of security and prosperity, O prisoners who have the bhope;Even today I am declaring that I will restore cdouble your former prosperity to you as firstborn among nations. Ps 40:2; Is 40:2Jer 16:19; Joel 3:16Jer 14:8; 17:13; Heb 6:18, 19Is 61:713 For I will abend Judah as My bow,I will fit the bow with Ephraim as My arrow.And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O bGreece,And will make you Israel like the csword of a warrior.Jer 51:20Joel 3:6Ps 45:314 Then the LORD will be seen hovering aover them protecting His people,And His barrow will go forth like lightning;And the Lord GOD will blow the ctrumpetAnd will march in the dwindstorms of the south.Is 31:5; Zech 2:5Ps 18:14; Hab 3:11Is 27:13Is 21:1; 66:1515 aThe LORD of hosts shall defend and protect them;And they will bdevour the enemy and trample down the cslingstones that have missed their mark,And they will drink of victory and be dboisterous as with wine;And they shall be filled like sacrificial bowls used to catch the blood,Drenched like the ecorners of the sacrificial altar.Is 37:35; Zech 12:8Zech 12:6Job 41:28Ps 78:65Ex 27:216 And the LORD their God shall asave them on that dayAs the flock of His people;For they are like the precious jewels of a bcrown,Displayed and glittering in His land.Jer 31:10, 11Is 62:317 For how great is God’s agoodness and how great is His bbeauty! And how great He will make Israel’s goodliness and Israel’s beauty!Grain and new wine will make the young men and virgins flourish.Jer 31:12, 14Ps 27:4; Is 33:17