Zechariah 9

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Codex Cairensis (from year 895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (930),[lower-alpha 1] and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[10][11]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[12] Fragments containing parts of this chapter (a revision of the Septuagint) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., Naḥal Ḥever 8Ḥev1 (8ḤevXII^gr); late 1st century BCE) with extant verses 1–5[13][14][15]

The 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.

And Hamath also shall border thereby;

Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust,

and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea;

and she shall be devoured with fire.[17]

• "Hadrach": a city-state in northern region of Syria, stretching from south of Aleppo to north of Damascus.[8][18]

Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,

so that none shall march to and fro;

no oppressor shall again march over them,

for now I see with my own eyes.[19]

• "As a guard" (ESV; KJV: "because of the army"): from Hebrew: מצבה, a hapax legomenon; it can be read as מִצָּבָה (mitsavah), following Masoretic text, from נָצַב, natsav, "take a stand", or מַצֵּבָה (matsevah, "pillar"); bearing 'the idea of the Lord as a protector'.[20]

Zechariah is delivering the prophecy of the King coming to Jerusalem, with the background of Jesus riding on an ass entering into Jerusalem and people spreading their clothes before him, waving palm branches. Illustration by Christoffel van Sichem (1645–1646).

Rejoice 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.[21]

• "Ass" (KJV; NRSV: "donkey") and "colt": point to one animal in the 'style of Hebrew parallelism' (cf. Genesis 49:11; John 12:14–15), indicating 'peaceful intentions', in contrast to "horse" (or "war-horse") in verse 10.[8]

New Testament authors see this verse as a prophecy to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as quoted in Matthew 21:5; John 12:15).[22]

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 heathen:

and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea,

and from the river even to the ends of the earth.[23]

• "The river": points to the Euphrates in northern Syria.[24]

The King James Version of verses 9–10 from this chapter are cited as texts in the English-language oratorio "Messiah" by George Frideric Handel (HWV 56).[25]

• Zechariah 9 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Zechariah 9 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

• Zechariah 9 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine