The Meaning of Zechariah 9:2 Explained

Zechariah 9:2

KJV: And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

YLT: And also Hamath doth border thereon, Tyre and Zidon, for -- very wise!

Darby: and also on Hamath which bordereth thereon; on Tyre and Zidon, though she be very wise.

ASV: and Hamath, also, which bordereth thereon; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Hamath  also shall border  thereby; Tyrus,  and Zidon,  though it be very  wise. 

What does Zechariah 9:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Zechariah 9:1-8 - The Nations Will Seek The God Of Israel
In his final answer the prophet gives a delightful picture of the future, which was on the eve of complete realization. So entirely would the memory of the past be obliterated that fateful anniversaries would soon fade from their minds. Indeed they would discover that their dark days had been the source and origin of their glad ones. In all subsequent ages, even when persecuting the Jews, the foremost nations have taken hold of their skirts, appropriating their sacred writings, venerating their lawgivers, prophets, and saints; and believing in the noblest representative of their race.
The prophet passes his eye over the surrounding nations, showing that his people need fear no more, because their oppressors had been effectually silenced. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Zechariah 9:2 mean?

and [against] Hamath [which] borders on it and [against] Tyre and Sidon though they are wise very
וְגַם־ חֲמָ֖ת תִּגְבָּל־ בָּ֑הּ צֹ֣ר וְצִיד֔וֹן כִּ֥י חָֽכְמָ֖ה מְאֹֽד

חֲמָ֖ת  [against]  Hamath 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲמָת 
Sense: the principle city of upper Syria in the valley of the Orontes.
תִּגְבָּל־  [which]  borders 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּבַל  
Sense: to bound, border.
בָּ֑הּ  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
צֹ֣ר  and  [against]  Tyre 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹור 
Sense: the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast.
וְצִיד֔וֹן  and  Sidon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִידֹון  
Sense: ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre.
כִּ֥י  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חָֽכְמָ֖ה  they  are  wise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָכַם  
Sense: to be wise.
מְאֹֽד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.