The message is against the land of Hadrach [^Cregion north of Israel]
    and ·the city of Damascus [^LDamascus its resting place].
·All [^LFor the eyes of all] people, including all the tribes of Israel
    ·belong to [or are on] the Lord.
² The message is also against the city of Hamath, on the border,
    and against Tyre and Sidon [^Ccities on the coast northwest of Israel], ·with their skill [or though they are very wise/clever].
³ Tyre has built a ·strong wall [fortress; stronghold] for herself.
    She has piled up silver like dust
    and gold like the mud in the streets.
⁴ But [^Llook; ^Tbehold] the Lord will take away all she has
    and ·destroy her power on [or throw her fortifications into] the sea.
    That city will be ·destroyed [consumed; devoured] by fire.
⁵ ·The city of Ashkelon [^LAshkelon] will see it and be afraid.
    ·The people of Gaza [^LGaza] will ·shake with fear [writhe in anguish],
    and ·the people of Ekron [^LEkron] ·will lose hope [or their hope will wither].
No king will be left in Gaza,
    and no one will live in Ashkelon anymore.
⁶ ·Foreigners [A mixed/mongrel people] will live in Ashdod,
    and I will ·destroy [^Lcut off] the pride of the Philistines.
⁷ I will ·stop them from drinking blood [^Ltake the blood from their mouths; Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16, 23]
    and ·from eating forbidden food [^Lits abominations from between its teeth].
Those left alive will belong to God.
    They will be ·leaders [or like a clan] in Judah,
    and Ekron will become like the Jebusites [^Cancient inhabitants of Jerusalem who were assimilated into Judah].
⁸ I will ·protect [encamp around] my ·Temple [^Lhouse]
    from armies who would come or go.
No ·one [oppressor] will ·hurt [overrun; pass over] my people again,
    because now I ·am watching them [^Lsee with my eyes].

¹¹ As for you, because of the blood of ·the agreement [my covenant/treaty] with you
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
¹² You prisoners who have hope,
    return to ·your place of safety [the fortress/stronghold].
Today I ·am telling you [announce; declare]
    that I will ·give you back twice as much as before [return double what you lost].
¹³ I will ·use [^Lbend] Judah like a bow
    and Ephraim like the arrows.
·Jerusalem [^LZion; ^Cthe location of the Temple], I will ·use your men [^Lrouse your sons/children]
    ·to fight the men of [against your sons/children,] Greece.
I will use you like a warrior’s sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord will appear above them,
    and his arrows will shoot like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
    and he will march in the ·storms [whirlwinds] of the south.
¹⁵ The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] will protect them;
    they will ·destroy [^Leat and subdue] the enemy with slingshots.
They will drink and shout like drunks.
    They will be filled like a bowl
    used for sprinkling blood ·at [or and drenched with blood like] the corners of the altar.
¹⁶ On that day the Lord their God will save them
    as ·if his people were sheep [^Lthe flock of his people].
They will shine in his land
    like jewels in a crown.
¹⁷ They will be so ·pretty [fine; good] and beautiful.
    The young men will grow strong on the grain
    and the young women on new wine.