| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1This is the message from the LORD against the land of Aram and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the LORD. | 1This is the burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and Damascus its resting place—for the eyes of men and of all the tribes of Israel are upon the LORD— |
| 2Doom is certain for Hamath, near Damascus, and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon, though they are so clever. | 2and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd. |
| 3Tyre has built a strong fortress and has made silver and gold as plentiful as dust in the streets! | 3Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. |
| 4But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessions and hurl its fortifications into the sea, and it will be burned to the ground. | 4Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. |
| 5The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall and will be filled with fear. Gaza will shake with terror, as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed. Gaza’s king will be killed, and Ashkelon will be deserted. | 5Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited. |
| 6Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod. I will destroy the pride of the Philistines. | 6A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. |
| 7I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth. Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God and become like a clan in Judah. The Philistines of Ekron will join my people, as the ancient Jebusites once did. | 7I will remove the blood from their mouths and the abominations from between their teeth. Then they too will become a remnant for our God; they will become like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. |
| 8I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies. I am watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land. Zion’s Coming King | 8But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with My own eyes. |
| 9Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. | 9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. |
| 10I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, and your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. | 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. |
| 11Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon. | 11As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. |
| 12Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles. | 12Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double. |
| 13Judah is my bow, and Israel is my arrow. Jerusalem is my sword, and like a warrior, I will brandish it against the Greeks. | 13For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man. |
| 14The LORD will appear above his people; his arrows will fly like lightning! The Sovereign LORD will sound the ram’s horn and attack like a whirlwind from the southern desert. | 14Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south. |
| 15The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people, and they will defeat their enemies by hurling great stones. They will shout in battle as though drunk with wine. They will be filled with blood like a bowl, drenched with blood like the corners of the altar. | 15The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar. |
| 16On that day the LORD their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. | 16On that day the LORD their God will save them as the flock of His people; for like jewels in a crown they will sparkle over His land. |
| 17How wonderful and beautiful they will be! The young men will thrive on abundant grain, and the young women will flourish on new wine. | 17How lovely they will be, and how beautiful! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine, the young women. |
|
