Zechariah 9

Zechariah · Chapter 9

Zechariah 9:1

1The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.2And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.3And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.4Behold, the LORD will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.5Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.6And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.7And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.8And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.12Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;13When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.14And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.15The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.16And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.17For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.This 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—The burden of the word of Jehovah upon the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be its resting-place (for the eye of man and of all the tribes of Israel is toward Jehovah);

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This verse opens the first "burden," or oracle, of Zechariah 9-11. It announces that the LORD's word is coming down on Hadrach and Damascus in Syria, and the chapter goes on through Hamath, Tyre, Sidon and the Philistine cities. After these judgments God guards his house and Zion's king comes. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4Zechariah 9:5Zechariah 9:6Zechariah 9:8Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview

SpeakingThe word of the LORD, given through a prophet. Traditional: the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah. Scholarly: many assign chapters 9-14 to a later writer or writers. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon and were living in and around Jerusalem. Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe nations to Israel's north and west: Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath, Tyre, Sidon, and the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:5Zechariah 9:6

God declares a message that will land on Hadrach and settle on Damascus. The verse ties this to a time when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD. The chapter goes on to say Tyre's wealth and walls will not save her, and the pride of the Philistines will be cut off. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4Zechariah 9:6Strong's H4853BStrong's H4496H

Hadrach was a city of Syria far to the north. Damascus was Syria's ancient capital, about 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The prophet spoke from Jerusalem among the returned exiles. Strong's H2317HadrachStrong's H1834DamascusZechariah overview

JUDAHARAMHadrachJerusalemTyreSidonHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe oracle looks ahead to future judgments on these nations. The text does not give a date for when they would happen. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:4Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote it, and his dated messages run from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote the whole book. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse begins a message that clears away the enemies around Israel. God then says he will camp around his house so that no oppressor passes through again. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:8

In the whole of ScriptureEarlier prophets also spoke the LORD's judgment on Damascus. Amos 1:3 says "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof," and Jeremiah 49:27 says "I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus." In Zechariah this judgment opens the way for Zion's lowly King in 9:9. Amos 1:3Amos 1:5Jeremiah 49:27Jeremiah 49:23Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview

For readersThe LORD's word reaches past Israel's borders to powerful, wealthy nations. Strong walls and piled-up gold, as with Tyre, cannot stand against it. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4

  • burdenמַשָּׂא
    Hebrew · mas.sa · H4853B

    The word means an utterance or oracle, glossed also as "burden." It marks this as a formal message from the LORD, the same term used in Jeremiah 23:33-38. Strong's H4853BJeremiah 23:33Jeremiah 23:38

  • restמְנוּחָה
    Hebrew · me.nu.chah · H4496H

    It means a resting place. Damascus is where the LORD's word comes to rest and settles, much as Isaiah 9:8 says a word "lighted upon Israel." Strong's H4496HIsaiah 9:8

Takeaway

Zechariah 9:1 is a word of judgment on Syria. It opens a chapter in which God humbles the proud nations around Israel, guards his people, and sends Zion's lowly King. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:8Zechariah 9:9

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

The world around the text

About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.

Who ruled
  • King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC

    Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription

  • Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC

    A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8

  • High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC

    Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

  • Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC

    The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13

What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon falls to Cyrus

    Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder

  2. 538 BC
    God's peopleThe first return

    Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65

  3. c. 536 BC
    God's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops

    The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia conquers Egypt

    Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius crushes the revolts

    When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11

  6. 520 BC
    God's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build

    In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree

    Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe second temple is finished

    The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia's wars with Greece

    Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls

    Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza

    Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[the] oracle ofמַשָּׂ֤אma-SA'H4853B
oracle

מַשָּׂא (mas.sa) utterance, oracle, burden

[the] word ofדְבַר־de-var-H1697G
word

דָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

Yahwehיְהוָה֙YAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

[is] on [the] land ofבְּאֶ֣רֶץbe-'E-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

Hadrachחַדְרָ֔ךְchad-RAKHH2317
Hadrach

חַדְרָ֔ךְ (chad.rakh) § Hadrach = "dwelling" a city of Syria (mod Lebanon)

and Damascusוְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂקve-da-ME-sekH1834
Damascus

דַּמֶּ֫שֶׂק (dam.me.seq) § Damascus = "silent is the sackcloth weaver" an ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of Hermon, 130 (205 km) miles northeast of Jerusalem

[is] resting place itsמְנֻחָת֑וֹme-nu-cha-TOH4496H
resting

מְנוּחָה (me.nu.chah) 1) resting place, rest 1a) resting place 1b) rest, quietness Also means: nu.ach (נוּחַ "rest" H5118)

forכִּ֤יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

[is] to Yahwehלַֽיהוָה֙la-YAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

[the] eye ofעֵ֣ין'einH5869A
eye

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

humankindאָדָ֔ם'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

and allוְכֹ֖לve-KHOLH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] tribes ofשִׁבְטֵ֥יshiv-TEIH7626H
tribe

שְׁבַט (she.vat) clan, tribe Aramaic of she.vet (שֵׁ֫בֶט ": staff" H7626)

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃YIS-ra-'ELH3478
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.