Zechariah 9:5
New International Version
Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted.

New Living Translation
The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall and will be filled with fear. Gaza will shake with terror, as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed. Gaza’s king will be killed, and Ashkelon will be deserted.

English Standard Version
Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;

Berean Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.

King James Bible
Ashkelon 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.

New King James Version
Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

New American Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; Also Ekron, because her hope has been ruined. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

NASB 1995
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

NASB 1977
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Legacy Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; Also Ekron, for her hope has been put to shame. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Amplified Bible
Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in pain, And Ekron, for her hope and expectation, has been ruined. The king will perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Christian Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and will writhe in great pain, as will Ekron, for her hope will fail. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and will writhe in great pain, as will Ekron, for her hope will fail. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.

American Standard Version
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

Contemporary English Version
Both Ashkelon and Gaza will tremble with fear; Ekron will lose all hope. Gaza's king will be killed, and Ashkelon emptied of its people.

English Revised Version
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be ashamed: and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Ashkelon will see [this] and be afraid. Gaza will also be in great pain, also Ekron, because its hope will fade. Gaza will lose its king. Ashkelon will no longer be lived in.

Good News Translation
The city of Ashkelon will see this and be afraid. The city of Gaza will see it and suffer great pain. So will Ekron, and her hopes will be shattered. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will be left deserted.

International Standard Version
Ashkelon will see it happen and will be terrified; Gaza will tremble greatly. Ekron will be ashamed of her expectations, Gaza's king will perish, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited.

Majority Standard Bible
Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.

NET Bible
Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.

New Heart English Bible
Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ashkelon 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.

World English Bible
Ashkelon will see it, and fear; Gaza also, and will writhe in agony; as will Ekron, for her expectation will be disappointed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Ashkelon sees and fears, "" Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, "" Also Ekron—for her expectation dried up, "" And a king has perished from Gaza, "" And Ashkelon does not remain,

Young's Literal Translation
See doth Ashkelon and fear, Also Gaza, and she is exceedingly pained, Also Ekron -- for her expectation dried up, And perished hath a king from Gaza, And Ashkelon doth not remain,

Smith's Literal Translation
Ashkelon shall see and shall fear; and Gaza, and she shall be greatly pained, and Ekron; for her confidence was ashamed; and the king perished from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Ascalon shall see, and shall fear, and Gaza, and shall be very sorrowful: and Accaron, because her hope is confounded : and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Ashkelon will see and be afraid. Both Gaza and he will be very sorrowful, as well as Ekron, because her hope has been confounded. And the king will pass away from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

New American Bible
Ashkelon will see it and be afraid; Gaza too will be in great anguish; Ekron also, for its hope will wither. The king will disappear from Gaza, Ashkelon will not be inhabited,

New Revised Standard Version
Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are withered. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful, and Ekron; because her hope is confounded; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Ashqeluun shall see and she shall stand in awe, and Aza shall be very sad, and Aqron, because to her, hope is disappointed, and the King of Aza shall be cut off, and Ashqelon shall not remain
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear, Gaza also, and shall be sore pained, And Ekron, for her expectation shall be ashamed; And the king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Ascalon shall see, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be greatly pained, and Accaron; for she is ashamed at her trespass; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ascalon shall not be inhabited.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgement Against Israel's Enemies
4Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. 5Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, as will Ekron, for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza, and Ashkelon will be uninhabited. 6A mixed race will occupy Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.…

Cross References
Isaiah 14:29-31
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg. / Then the firstborn of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety, but I will kill your root by famine, and your remnant will be slain. / Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

Jeremiah 47:1-7
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh struck down Gaza. / This is what the LORD says: “See how the waters are rising from the north and becoming an overflowing torrent. They will overflow the land and its fullness, the cities and their inhabitants. The people will cry out, and all who dwell in the land will wail / at the sound of the galloping hooves of stallions, the rumbling of chariots, and the clatter of their wheels. The fathers will not turn back for their sons; their hands will hang limp. ...

Ezekiel 25:15-17
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance, taking vengeance with malice of soul to destroy Judah with ancient hostility, / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast. / I will execute great vengeance against them with furious reproof. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them.’”

Amos 1:6-8
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom. / So I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza, to consume its citadels. / I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 23:1-18
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. ...

Ezekiel 26:1-21
In the eleventh month of the twelfth year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’ / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. ...

Isaiah 11:14
They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.

Joel 3:4-8
Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads. / For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples. / You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland. ...

Isaiah 9:1
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:

Isaiah 34:8-17
For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. / Edom’s streams will be turned to tar, and her soil to sulfur; her land will become a blazing pitch. / It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it. ...

Matthew 11:21-24
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. / And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ...

Luke 10:13-15
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. / But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. / And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

Matthew 15:21-28
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. / And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.” / But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” ...

Mark 7:24-30
Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. / Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. / Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ...

Acts 12:20-23
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food. / On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. / And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” ...


Treasury of Scripture

Ashkelon 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.

Ashkelon.

Isaiah 14:29-31
Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent…

Jeremiah 47:1,4-7
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza…

Ezekiel 25:15-17
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; …

and be.

Jeremiah 51:8,9
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed…

Ezekiel 26:15-21
Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee? …

Revelation 18:9-17
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, …

for.

Isaiah 20:5,6
And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory…

Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Philippians 1:20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Jump to Previous
Afraid Agony Anguish Ashamed Ashkelon Ash'kelon Bent Confounded Cut Disappointed Ekron Exceedingly Expectation Fear Gaza Gazah Great Greatly Hope Hopes Inhabited Lose Moreover Pain Pained Perish Shame Shamed Sore Sorrowful Unpeopled Wither Writhe
Jump to Next
Afraid Agony Anguish Ashamed Ashkelon Ash'kelon Bent Confounded Cut Disappointed Ekron Exceedingly Expectation Fear Gaza Gazah Great Greatly Hope Hopes Inhabited Lose Moreover Pain Pained Perish Shame Shamed Sore Sorrowful Unpeopled Wither Writhe
Zechariah 9
1. God defends his church.
9. Zion is exhorted to rejoice for the coming of Christ, and his peaceable kingdom.
12. God's promises of victory and defense.














Ashkelon will see it and fear
The city of Ashkelon, one of the five major Philistine cities, is mentioned here. The Hebrew root for "see" is "רָאָה" (ra'ah), which implies not just physical sight but also understanding or perceiving something significant. Historically, Ashkelon was a prosperous city, often associated with strength and resilience. The prophecy that Ashkelon will "fear" suggests a divine intervention so powerful that even the mighty will tremble. This fear is not merely an emotional response but a recognition of God's sovereignty and the impending judgment.

Gaza will writhe in agony
Gaza, another principal city of the Philistines, is depicted as experiencing intense suffering. The Hebrew word for "writhe" is "חִיל" (chil), which conveys the idea of twisting or trembling in pain, often used to describe the labor pains of childbirth. This imagery suggests a profound and unavoidable distress, symbolizing the collapse of human pride and power before God's will. Historically, Gaza was a fortified city, and its agony signifies the dismantling of its defenses and the futility of its resistance against divine judgment.

and also Ekron
Ekron, the northernmost of the Philistine cities, is included in this prophecy. The mention of Ekron alongside Ashkelon and Gaza emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the judgment. Ekron's inclusion signifies that no city, regardless of its location or strength, will escape the consequences of turning away from God. The historical context of Ekron, often a center of idolatry, underscores the theme of divine retribution against false worship and reliance on human power.

for her hope will wither
The phrase "her hope will wither" uses the Hebrew root "אָבַל" (abal), meaning to mourn or languish. This suggests a loss of vitality and expectation, indicating that the sources of confidence and security for these cities will fail. In a broader spiritual sense, it reflects the futility of placing hope in anything other than God. The withering of hope serves as a metaphor for the spiritual desolation that follows when people or nations reject divine guidance.

There will be no king in Gaza
The absence of a king in Gaza symbolizes the loss of leadership and authority. In ancient times, a king represented stability, governance, and protection. The prophecy that there will be "no king" indicates a complete breakdown of societal structure and order. This can be seen as a direct consequence of divine judgment, where human leadership is rendered powerless in the face of God's ultimate authority.

and Ashkelon will be deserted
The desolation of Ashkelon is a powerful image of abandonment and ruin. The Hebrew word for "deserted" is "שָׁמֵם" (shamem), which conveys a sense of being laid waste or left in a state of desolation. This prophecy highlights the totality of God's judgment, where once-thriving cities become empty and lifeless. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the inevitable downfall that follows when divine warnings are ignored.

Verse 5. - Ashkelon shall see it. The ruin of so mighty a city as Tyre naturally filled neighbouring people with dismay. The prophet directs his attention to Philistia, and threatens its chief cities. The cities are enumerated in the same order as in Jeremiah 25:20. Gath is omitted, as in Amos 1:6-8 and Zephaniah 2:4:. It seems never to have recovered its destruction by Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:6). (For Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, see note on Amos 1:6.) Her expectation shall be ashamed. The hope of aid from Tyre shall not be fulfilled. After the fall of Tyre, Alexander continued his march southwards towards Egypt, subduing the cities on his way. The siege of Gaze delayed him some months; and when it was taken, it shared the treatment of Tyre. Its governor, one Batis, a eunuch, was tied alive to the conqueror's chariot, and dragged round the walls, in cruel imitation of the fate of Hector. The king shall perish from Gaza. No particular king is meant; but the prediction says that henceforward no king should reign in Gaze. In contrast with the Eastern policy of allowing conquered nations to retain their own rulers as tributary sovereigns, Alexander always deposed or slew reigning monarchs, and consolidated his empire by replacing them with governors of his own. The various chastisements are meted out by the prophet among the various cities, though they equally apply to all.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Ashkelon
אַשְׁקְל֜וֹן (’aš·qə·lō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 831: Ashkelon -- a city of the Philistines

will see
תֵּרֶ֨א (tê·re)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and fear;
וְתִירָ֗א (wə·ṯî·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

Gaza
וְעַזָּה֙ (wə·‘az·zāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5804: A Philistine city

will writhe in agony,
מְאֹ֔ד (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

as will Ekron,
וְעֶקְר֖וֹן (wə·‘eq·rō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6138: Ekron -- a Philistine city

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

her hope
מֶבָּטָ֑הּ (meb·bā·ṭāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4007: Something expected, expectation

will wither.
הֹבִ֣ישׁ (hō·ḇîš)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 954: To pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, delayed

There will cease to be
וְאָ֤בַד (wə·’ā·ḇaḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

a king
מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

in Gaza,
מֵֽעַזָּ֔ה (mê·‘az·zāh)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5804: A Philistine city

and Ashkelon
וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן (wə·’aš·qə·lō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 831: Ashkelon -- a city of the Philistines

will be uninhabited.
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


Links
Zechariah 9:5 NIV
Zechariah 9:5 NLT
Zechariah 9:5 ESV
Zechariah 9:5 NASB
Zechariah 9:5 KJV

Zechariah 9:5 BibleApps.com
Zechariah 9:5 Biblia Paralela
Zechariah 9:5 Chinese Bible
Zechariah 9:5 French Bible
Zechariah 9:5 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Zechariah 9:5 Ashkelon will see it and fear (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 9:4
Top of Page
Top of Page