Zechariah 9

Zechariah · Chapter 9

Zechariah 9:2

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
2And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.and Hamath, also, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Zechariah 9 opens with a "burden," a message of judgment, on Hadrach and Damascus. Verse 2 extends it to Hamath, which borders Damascus, and to the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, even though they were very wise. The next verses show Tyre's wealth and its fall, and then the promise of Zion's lowly King (9:9). Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4Zechariah 9:9

SpeakingThe word of the LORD, given through the prophet Zechariah. The LORD speaks in the first person in this passage ("I will cut off the pride of the Philistines"). Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:6Zechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview

Also involvedHamath, a city bordering Damascus, and the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast. Zechariah 9:2Strong's H6865Strong's H6721H

The LORD's judgment reaches Hamath, because it borders Damascus. It also reaches Tyre and Sidon, even though they are very wise. Their cleverness will not save them: Tyre heaped up silver and gold, yet the LORD will cast her out and burn her. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4Strong's H1379Strong's H3588A

Hamath lay north of Damascus and was named as a far northern limit of Israel's land ("as men come to Hamath"). Tyre and Sidon were neighboring port cities on the Mediterranean coast, with Sidon north of Tyre. Hamath 1DamascusTyreSidonNumbers 13:21Amos 6:14Strong's H6721H

JUDAHDamascusHamath 1SidonTyreJerusalemGazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe passage does not give a date for when these judgments would happen. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah overview

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 scholars assign them to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse shows the LORD's judgment reaching beyond Damascus to Hamath, Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon's great wisdom, and Tyre's heaped-up silver and gold, give no protection against him. Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:3Zechariah 9:4

In the whole of ScriptureOther prophets speak the same way. Ezekiel says Tyre grew rich "by thy great wisdom and by thy traffick" and that its heart was "lifted up" (Ezekiel 28:5). Jeremiah says "Hamath is confounded" at evil tidings (Jeremiah 49:23). In Zechariah the fall of these nations leads to God guarding his house and to the coming of Zion's King. Ezekiel 28:5Ezekiel 28:2Ezekiel 28:12Jeremiah 49:23Zechariah 9:8Zechariah 9:9

For readersBeing clever and rich does not make anyone safe before God. Ezekiel shows that Tyre's wisdom and riches lifted up its heart, and Zechariah says the LORD would bring it down. Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:4Ezekiel 28:2Ezekiel 28:5

  • borderגָּבַל
    Hebrew · ga.val · H1379

    The word means "to bound, border." Hamath is named because it lies on the border of Damascus, so the judgment on Damascus spreads to its neighbor. Strong's H1379Zechariah 9:1Zechariah 9:2

  • thoughכִּי
    Hebrew · ki · H3588A

    This small word can mean "when, if, though" in the sense of a concession. Here it gives the sense "even though": Tyre and Sidon are very wise, yet judgment still comes. Strong's H3588AZechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:4

  • wiseחָכַם
    Hebrew · cha.kham · H2449

    The word means "to be or become wise, act wisely." Ezekiel shows how Tyre used its wisdom to gain riches, and how that made its heart proud. Strong's H2449Ezekiel 28:5Ezekiel 28:12

Takeaway

Zechariah 9:2 names Hamath, Tyre and Sidon under the LORD's judgment. Tyre and Sidon's famous wisdom could not shield them. Ezekiel shows that Tyre's wisdom bred pride, and such pride cannot stand before God. Zechariah 9:2Zechariah 9:4Ezekiel 28:2Ezekiel 28:5

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 alsoוְגַם־ve-gam-H1571
also

גַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

Hamathחֲמָ֖תcha-MATH2574G
Lebo-(Hamath)

לְב֥וֹא (bo) This name means to go in, enter Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

[which] it bordersתִּגְבָּל־tig-bol-H1379
to border

גָּבַל (ga.val) 1) to bound, border 1a) (Qal) to bound, border 1b) (Hiphil) to set bounds, set bounds for

Tyreצֹ֣רtzorH6865
Tyre

צֹר (tsor) § Tyre or Tyrus = "a rock" the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast

and Sidonוְצִיד֔וֹןve-tzi-DONH6721H
Sidon

צִידוֹן (tsi.don) § Sidon = "hunting" ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre

forכִּ֥יkiH3588A
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

it is wiseחָֽכְמָ֖הchokh-mahH2449
be wise

חָכַם (cha.kham) 1) to be wise 1a) (Qal) to be or become wise, act wisely 1b) (Piel) to make wise, teach wisdom, instruct 1c) (Pual) to be made wise 1d) (Hiphil) to make wise 1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself wise, deceive, show one's wisdom

exceedinglyמְאֹֽד׃me-'ODH3966
much

מְאֹד (me.od) adv 1) exceedingly, much subst 2) might, force, abundance n m 3) muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly 3a) force, might 3b) exceedingly, greatly, very (idioms showing magnitude or degree) 3b1) exceedingly 3b2) up to abundance, to a great degree, exceedingly 3b3) with muchness, muchness

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