But lo translates a single word in Hebrew (hinneh). This word is used quite often to mark the beginning of a new unit, and in this instance it seems to mark the change from the description of Tyre to its condemnation. Lo is rarely used in modern English, and New Revised Standard Version and New Living Translation change to “But now” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Many recent versions use only “But” (Moffatt, Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, Beck), and this is sufficient to establish the contrast with what has gone before. Another possibility is “Surely….”

The Lord will strip her of her possessions is expressed in simpler language in Good News Translation as “The Lord will take away everything she has.” Lord here represents the Hebrew ʾadonay (not YHWH), and should be written as in Revised Standard Version with only the L capitalized. Some modern versions follow the interpretation of the ancient Greek and Latin in saying “the Lord is going to take possession of her” (Jerusalem Bible; compare Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). This is possible, but the interpretation of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seems to fit the context better.

And hurl her wealth into the sea: The word translated wealth is open to more than one interpretation. It can indeed mean wealth in the economic sense as spoken of in the previous verse. But it can also mean strength in the military sense, or more strictly, in the naval sense. King James Version and Revised Version have “he will smite her power in the sea,” which could refer to a defeat of Tyre’s navy (so New American Bible, New English Bible, New International Version, Delcor). This view is clearly stated in Revised English Bible “he will break her power at sea” (compare New Jerusalem Bible) and Contemporary English Version “he will sink its ships.” Again, the Hebrew word could mean “wall” or “rampart,” giving the sense “knock down its ramparts into the sea” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; similarly New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The first and third of these possibilities link well with the previous verse, and the second with the historical basis of Tyre’s power. The first option, as found in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, seems a little improbable, since when a city falls to attackers, they steal its wealth rather than throw it into the sea. On the whole, the second option (that wealth means naval power) is slightly preferable as it gives the preposition here its more common meaning of “in” rather than into. Another way to express this clause is “he will cause all its/her ships to sink.”

And she shall be devoured by fire: A captured city was often burnt in ancient times (compare Amos 1.10). The words and she are emphatic and contrastive. This may support the view that the city is being contrasted with its navy rather than with its wealth or its walls, which would be parts of the city rather than a separate entity. Devoured by fire is of course a figure of speech which may be used in many languages. If translators cannot keep the figure, they may say something like “the city itself will be destroyed by fire” (New English Bible/ Revised English Bible). Some versions restructure this clause as “a fire will destroy the city” (Bible en français courant) or “[the Lord] will destroy the city by fire” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch boldly uses a different figure “the city will become an offering to the flames,” but few translators will need to be so radical. Some commentators link the description in this verse with the capture of Tyre by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. (Even if this verse is seen as fulfilled in that event, nothing is proved about the date of the prophecy.)

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 .