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Zechariah 9:11-16 - Compare All Versions

Zechariah 9:11-16 NIV (New International Version)

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword. LORD Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

Zechariah 9:11-16 ESV (English Standard Version 2025)

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. LORD Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The LORD of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

Zechariah 9:11-16 NLT (New Living Translation)

Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon. Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles. Judah is my bow, and Israel is my arrow. Jerusalem is my sword, and like a warrior, I will brandish it against the Greeks. The LORD will appear above his people; his arrows will fly like lightning! The Sovereign LORD will sound the ram’s horn and attack like a whirlwind from the southern desert. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people, and they will defeat their enemies by hurling great stones. They will shout in battle as though drunk with wine. They will be filled with blood like a bowl, drenched with blood like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

Zechariah 9:11-16 CSB (Christian Standard Bible)

As for you, because of the blood of your covenant,  I will release your prisoners from the waterless cistern.  Return to a stronghold, you prisoners who have hope; today I declare that I will restore double to you.  For I will bend Judah as my bow; I will fill that bow with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece.  , I will make you like a warrior’s sword. Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will fly like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance with the southern storms.  The LORD of Armies will defend them. They will consume and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and be rowdy as if with wine.  They will be as full as the sprinkling basin,  like those at the corners of the altar.  The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people;  for they are like jewels in a crown,  sparkling over his land.

Zechariah 9:11-16 KJV (King James Version)

As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; when 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. And 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. The 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. And 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.

Zechariah 9:11-16 NKJV (New King James Version)

“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you. For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.” Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south. The LORD of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar. The LORD their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land

Zechariah 9:11-17 MSG (The Message)

“And you, because of my blood covenant with you, I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells. Come home, hope-filled prisoners! This very day I’m declaring a double bonus— everything you lost returned twice-over! Judah is now my weapon, the bow I’ll pull, setting Ephraim as an arrow to the string. I’ll wake up your sons, O Zion, to counter your sons, O Greece. From now on people are my swords.” Then GOD will come into view, his arrows flashing like lightning! Master GOD will blast his trumpet and set out in a whirlwind. GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies will protect them— all-out war, The war to end all wars, no holds barred. Their GOD will save the day. He’ll rescue them. They’ll become like sheep, gentle and soft, Or like gemstones in a crown, catching all the colors of the sun. Then how they’ll shine! shimmer! glow! the young men robust, the young women lovely!

Zechariah 9:11-16 NASB2020 (New American Standard Bible - NASB)

¶As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have the hope; This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you. For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece; And I will make you like a warrior’s sword. Then the LORD will appear over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning; And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And march in the storm winds of the south. The LORD of armies will protect them. And they will devour and trample on the slingstones; And they will drink and be boisterous as with wine; And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin, Drenched like the corners of the altar. And the LORD their God will save them on that day As the flock of His people; For they are like the precious stones of a crown, Sparkling on His land.

Zechariah 9:11-16 AMP (Amplified Bible)

¶As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you [My chosen people, the covenant that was sealed with blood] I have freed your prisoners from the waterless pit. [Gen 37:24; Ex 24:4-8; Heb 9:16] Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], O prisoners who have the hope; Even today I am declaring that I will restore double [your former prosperity] to you [as firstborn among nations]. [Ps 40:2; Is 40:2] For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fit the bow with Ephraim [as My arrow]. And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, And will make you [Israel] like the sword of a warrior. Then the LORD will be seen [hovering] over them [protecting His people], And His arrow will go forth like lightning; And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet And will march in the windstorms of the south. The LORD of hosts shall defend and protect them; And they will devour [the enemy] and trample down the slingstones [that have missed their mark], And they will drink [of victory] and be boisterous as with wine; And they shall be filled like sacrificial bowls [used to catch the blood], Drenched like the corners of the [sacrificial] altar. And the LORD their God shall save them on that day As the flock of His people; For they are like the [precious] jewels of a crown, Displayed and glittering in His land.

Zechariah 9:11-16 NET (New English Translation)

Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you. I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow! I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion, like a warrior’s sword. Then the LORD will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds. The LORD who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land.