How humbling that our victorious King comes not on a warhorse, but on a donkey.
Key Verse:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” —Zechariah 9:9 (NASB)
Background Context:
Zechariah 9 opens with prophetic declarations of judgment against Israel’s enemies and transitions into a triumphant promise for God’s people. In verse 9, we see one of the clearest Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Yeshua in the New Testament—His humble entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matthew 21:5). This chapter contrasts worldly power with the righteousness and humility of our true King, who brings not just political peace, but eternal salvation.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
Prophecies against Neighboring Nations
1The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD),
2And Hamath also, which borders on it;
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3For Tyre built herself a fortress
And piled up silver like dust,
And gold like the mire of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will dispossess her
And cast her wealth into the sea;
And she will be consumed with fire.
5Ashkelon 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.
6And a mongrel race will dwell in Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
8But I will camp around My house because of an army,
Because of him who passes by and returns;
And no oppressor will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
And the bow of war will be cut off.
And He will speak peace to the nations;
And His dominion will be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
Deliverance of Judah and Ephraim
11As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you,
I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.
13For I will bend Judah as My bow,
I will fill the bow with Ephraim.
And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;
And I will make you like a warrior’s sword.
14Then the LORD will appear over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning;
And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet,
And will march in the storm winds of the south.
15The LORD of hosts will defend them.
And they will devour and trample on the sling stones;
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.
16And the LORD their God will save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a crown,
Sparkling in His land.
17For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
Reflection on Zechariah 9:
Zechariah’s prophecy captures both the majesty and the meekness of the Messiah. Unlike earthly kings who dominate by force, Yeshua comes clothed in humility. His arrival on a donkey signified not weakness, but fulfillment—He was the Prince of Peace entering to bring a different kind of victory.
Verse 10 promises that this King will bring peace to the nations and rule from sea to sea. This is no local ruler—this is the King of kings. His reign is not marked by oppression, but by release. He sets prisoners free (v. 11), and He offers hope to those in despair (v. 12), calling them “prisoners of hope.”
What a powerful phrase—prisoners of hope. It means that even when our circumstances seem to confine us, we are still held by the promise of what God will do. This is not blind optimism. It’s anchored expectation in a King who is faithful.
The chapter ends with assurance that the LORD will protect and exalt His people. He doesn’t just rescue—He restores with abundance. The blessings of grain and new wine symbolize joy, provision, and celebration. Our King is not just victorious in battle; He is generous in peace.
Application:
Have you embraced the humble, saving King? Let His example reshape how you lead, serve, and love. Are you clinging to hope, even when life feels confined or uncertain? Remember that you are a prisoner of hope, not despair. Let this prophecy fuel your trust in Yeshua, who has already come in meekness and will come again in glory.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for sending us a King unlike any other—righteous, humble, and full of salvation. Teach us to walk in His ways. May we be marked by the peace and hope that only He can give. Let us trust in His victory and remain anchored as prisoners of hope until He comes again. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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