Zechariah 9

Zechariah · Chapter 9

Zechariah 9:10

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
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.And 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.And 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 nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Right after Zion's lowly King rides in on a donkey (9:9), the LORD promises to take away the war chariots, horses and battle bows from his own people. The King will then speak peace to the nations, and his rule will stretch from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10

SpeakingThe LORD speaks ("I will cut off") through the prophet Zechariah. The "he" who speaks peace and rules is the King of the verse before. The New Testament quotes that verse of Jesus riding into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:4-5; John 12:14-15). Zechariah 9:10Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview

ToThe daughter of Zion, that is, the people of Judah and Jerusalem who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah overview

Also involvedEphraim and Jerusalem lose their weapons of war. The heathen, or nations, hear the King's word of peace and come under his rule. Zechariah 9:10Strong's H0669GStrong's H1471A

God himself removes the chariots, horses and battle bows from his people. The coming King then speaks peace to the nations and rules to the ends of the earth. Hosea gives a similar promise: God will save "not by bow, nor by sword" and will "break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth." Zechariah 9:10Hosea 1:7Hosea 2:18

It starts with Ephraim and Jerusalem in the land of Israel. It then reaches outward "from sea even to sea," and from "the river" (the Euphrates) to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:10Strong's H5104GEuphratesJerusalem

JUDAHARABIAEuphratesJerusalemBabylon 1SusaTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe verse looks ahead to the time of the coming King of 9:9. The text gives no date for it. Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book; 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 them. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse shows what kind of King is coming. He is just, lowly and has salvation, and he rules by speaking peace, not by horses and chariots. This fits the book's message: "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit." Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10Zechariah overview

In the whole of ScriptureThe chapter moves from God judging the proud nations around Israel (9:1-8) to Zion's King and his worldwide peace (9:9-10). It then shows the LORD defending and saving his people himself (9:14-16). Psalm 72 hopes for the same: a king in whose days there is "abundance of peace" and whom "all nations shall serve." Zechariah 9:4Zechariah 9:6Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10Zechariah 9:14Zechariah 9:15Zechariah 9:16Psalms 72:7Psalms 72:11

For readersGod's people are not to trust in weapons for their safety; God saves them. The New Testament speaks of peace made "through the blood of his cross" and says the weapons of Christian warfare "are not carnal." It also looks ahead to the day when the kingdoms of this world become Christ's. Hosea 1:7Colossians 1:202 Corinthians 10:4Revelation 11:15

Christians read this differently

The verse does not say when or how the King's worldwide peace comes. Some read it as fulfilled now in the gospel, which makes peace through the cross and fights with spiritual weapons (Colossians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Others read it as a future, visible reign when the kingdoms of the world become Christ's (Revelation 11:15), and some hold that both are in view. Zechariah 9:10Colossians 1:202 Corinthians 10:42 Corinthians 10:5Revelation 11:15

  • peaceשָׁלוֹם
    Hebrew · sha.lom · H7965G

    Shalom means completeness, soundness, welfare and friendship, including peace with God in covenant, as well as peace from war. The King speaks this peace to the nations. Strong's H7965GZechariah 9:10

  • heathenגּוֹי
    Hebrew · goy · H1471A

    The word means nation or people, usually non-Hebrew peoples. The King's peace reaches beyond Israel to the other nations. Strong's H1471AZechariah 9:10

  • riverנָהָר
    Hebrew · na.har · H5104G

    The word means stream or river, and the lexicon gives it as another name for the Euphrates. The King's rule runs from that river to the ends of the earth. Strong's H5104GEuphratesZechariah 9:10

  • cut offכָּרַת
    Hebrew · ka.rat · H3772I

    The word means to cut off, destroy or take away. Here God himself ("I will cut off") removes the chariots, horses and bows. Strong's H3772IZechariah 9:10

Takeaway

Zion's lowly King does not win by chariots and bows. God removes those, and the King rules to the ends of the earth by speaking peace. Hosea likewise says God saves "not by bow, nor by sword." Zechariah 9:9Zechariah 9:10Hosea 1:7

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
and I will cut offוְהִכְרַתִּי־ve-hikh-ra-ti-H3772I
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

chariotryרֶ֣כֶבRE-khevH7393G
chariot

רֶ֫כֶב (re.khev) : chariot 1) a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders 1a) chariotry, chariots 1b) chariot (single) 1c) upper millstone (as riding on lower millstone) 1d) riders, troop (of riders), horsemen, pair of horsemen, men riding, ass-riders, camel-riders Also means: re.khev (רֶ֫כֶב ": millstone" H7393H)

from Ephraimמֵאֶפְרַ֗יִםme-'ef-RA-yimH0669G
Ephraim

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52; son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621); brother of: Manasseh (H4519); father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19; § Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful" 1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh 2) the tribe, Ephraim 3) the mountain country of Ephraim …

and horse[s]וְסוּס֙ve-SUSH5483M
horse

סוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses

from Jerusalemמִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םmi-RU-sha-LIMH3389
Ariel

אֲרִיאֵל (a.ri.el) Ariel = "lion of God" or "lioness of God" Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

and it will be cut offוְנִכְרְתָה֙ve-nikh-re-TAHH3772I
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

bow ofקֶ֣שֶׁתKE-shetH7198
bow

קֶ֫שֶׁת (qe.shet) 1) bow 1a) bow (for hunting, battle) 1b) bowmen, archers 1c) bow (fig. of might) 1d) rainbow

warמִלְחָמָ֔הmil-cha-MAHH4421
battle

מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) battle, war

and he will speakוְדִבֶּ֥רve-di-BERH1696G
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

peaceשָׁל֖וֹםsha-LOMH7965G
peace

שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) : peace 1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace 1a) completeness (in number) 1b) safety, soundness (in body) 1c) welfare, health, prosperity 1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment 1e) peace, friendship 1e1) of human relationships 1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship 1f) peace (from war) 1g) peace (as adjective)

to the nationsלַגּוֹיִ֑םla-go-YIMH1471A
nation

גּוֹי (goy) 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

and dominion hisוּמָשְׁלוֹ֙u-ma-she-LOH4915B
dominion

מֹ֫שֶׁל (mo.shel) dominion

[will be] from seaמִיָּ֣םmi-YAMH3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

toעַד־'ad-H5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

seaיָ֔םYamH3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

and from [the] riverוּמִנָּהָ֖רu-mi-na-HARH5104G
River

נָהָר (na.har) This name means stream, river Another name of pe.rat (פְּרָת "Euphrates" H6578)

toעַד־'ad-H5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

[the] ends ofאַפְסֵי־'af-sei-H0657A
end

אֶ֫פֶס (e.phes) 1) ceasing, end, finality 2) expressing non-existence

[the] earthאָֽרֶץ׃'A-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 …

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