Zechariah 9:2
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | And 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, sourcedZechariah 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
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
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
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
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
- 539 BCWarBabylon 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
- 538 BCGod'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
- c. 536 BCGod'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
- 525 BCWarPersia 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
- 522-521 BCWarDarius 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
- 520 BCGod'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
- c. 520-519 BCRulersDarius 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
- 515 BCBuildingThe 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
- 490-479 BCWarPersia'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
- 445 BCBuildingNehemiah 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
- 332 BCWarAlexander 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
- Damascus settlementMapAbout this place
- Hamath 1 settlementMapAbout this place
- Sidon settlementMapAbout this place
- Tyre settlementMapAbout this place
Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and also | וְגַם־ | ve-gam- | H1571 | alsoגַּם (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 |
| Hamath | חֲמָ֖ת | cha-MAT | H2574G | Lebo-(Hamath)לְב֥וֹא (bo) This name means to go in, enter Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) |
| [which] it borders | תִּגְבָּל־ | tig-bol- | H1379 | to borderגָּבַל (ga.val) 1) to bound, border 1a) (Qal) to bound, border 1b) (Hiphil) to set bounds, set bounds for |
| Tyre | צֹ֣ר | tzor | H6865 | Tyreצֹר (tsor) § Tyre or Tyrus = "a rock" the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast |
| and Sidon | וְצִיד֔וֹן | ve-tzi-DON | H6721H | Sidonצִידוֹן (tsi.don) § Sidon = "hunting" ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre |
| for | כִּ֥י | ki | H3588A | forכִּי (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 wise | חָֽכְמָ֖ה | chokh-mah | H2449 | be wiseחָכַם (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 |
| exceedingly | מְאֹֽד׃ | me-'OD | H3966 | muchמְאֹד (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.