Following the words of judgment in the two previous verses, the LORD now speaks of blessing for the Philistines. This contrast should be marked in the translation, if possible. The LORD’s words begin with two clauses which speak of ending Philistine practices that were considered by Jews to cause religious defilement. In this verse God is referred to both in the first person (I) and in the third person (our God). If this kind of change causes problems, translators should consider expressing the whole verse in the first person (as in Good News Translation and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or in the third person (as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Contemporary English Version).
I will take away its blood from its mouth: The pronoun its refers back to “Philistia” in verse 6. If a translation has used a plural form like “Philistines” there, then the third person pronouns throughout this sentence will of course be plural. Blood refers to meat that has not been drained of blood before being cooked and eaten. The Jews were commanded not to eat meat unless the blood had been drained out and offered to the LORD, but the Philistines did not observe this practice, so they were ritually unclean according to the Law of Moses (Gen 9.4; Lev 3.17; Lev 7.26-27; Deut 12.16; Deut 15.23). Here the LORD is saying that he will no longer allow them to eat meat with the blood still in it (see Good News Translation; similarly New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version).
And its abominations from between its teeth: This clause is parallel with the previous one. Abominations refers to food first offered as a sacrifice to idols, or food such as pork, which Jews were forbidden to eat. From between its teeth is parallel with from its mouth in the previous clause: both expressions are figurative and dramatically stand for the act of eating. The meaning for the first two clauses is well expressed in Revised English Bible: “I shall stop them eating flesh with the blood still in it and feeding on detestable things.” The last phrase may be expressed as “forbidden food” (Good News Translation) or “meat consecrated to idols” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Acts 15.28-29 shows that these Jewish customs were still important for Jewish believers in New Testament times.
It too shall be a remnant for our God: The topic is still Philistia, or rather the Philistine people. A remnant is a part of a nation surviving some disaster, such as that described in verses 5-6. This Hebrew word is usually used of that part of the LORD’s people which remains faithful to him. It is unexpected to find it used here of a gentile nation, as is shown by the Hebrew particle rendered too in Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version, but omitted in many other versions. In this context, however, it is an appropriate use, since those Philistines who survive are to be purified and made part of the people of God. Revised English Bible expresses this clearly as “Those who survive will belong to our God,” and Contemporary English Version translates “They will become part of the people of our God.”
It shall be like a clan in Judah; that is to say, the Philistine remnant will be thoroughly incorporated into the people of God. There is some doubt over the vowels of the word translated clan. The ancient Greek and Latin versions understood the Hebrew to mean a leader, and this sense is represented in King James Version, Revised Version, New International Version, and New King James Version , and supported in Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Other versions assume different vowels and translate as clan or “family” (New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible). In cultures where “tribes” or “clans” are non-existent, “family” will be a good translation. The overall meaning of the sentence is not seriously affected whichever choice is made. The same problem arises in Zech 12.5-6. Good News Translation has a helpful model for the middle part of the verse: “All the survivors will become part of my people and be like a clan in the tribe of Judah.”
Ekron shall be like the Jebusites: Ekron is the Philistine city already mentioned in verse 5. Here it probably stands for the Philistine nation in general. The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of Jerusalem, which was called Jebus before it was captured by David (2 Sam 5.6-7; 1 Chr 11.4-6). The surviving Jebusites were not exterminated but were apparently absorbed into the people of God (compare Josh 15.63; Jdg 1.21; 1 Kgs 9.20-21). The full meaning of the sentence is well expressed in Good News Translation: “Ekron will become part of my people, as the Jebusites did.” Jebusites may also be expressed as “people of Jebus,” or even “people from the city of Jebus” (Jdg 19.10; 1 Chr 11.4). In many languages it will be helpful to add a footnote on the Jebusites, as Good News Translation does.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .