Zechariah14
New American Standard
1Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoils taken from you will be divided among you.
2For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, the houses plundered, the women raped, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city.
3Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
4On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south.
5And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
6On that day there will be no light; the luminaries will die out.
7For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at the time of evening there will be light.
8And on that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.
9And the Lord will be King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.
10All the land will change into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.
11People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will live in security.
12Now this will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth.
13And it will come about on that day that a great panic from the Lord will fall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be raised against the hand of another.
14Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.
15And just like this plague, there will be a plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle that will be in those camps.
16Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of armies, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
17And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of armies, there will be no rain on them.
18And if the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
19This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
20On that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” And the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the bowls before the altar.
21Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of armies; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of armies on that day.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Zechariah 14.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The sufferings of Jerusalem. (1–7). Encouraging prospects, and the destruction of her enemies. (8–15). The holiness of the latter days. (16–21).
vv1-7
The Lord Jesus often stood upon the Mount of Olives when on earth. He ascended from thence to heaven, and then desolations and distresses came upon the Jewish nation. Such is the view taken of this figuratively; but many consider it as a notice of events yet unfulfilled, and that it relates to troubles of which we cannot now form a full idea. Every believer, being related to God as his God, may triumph in the expectation of Christ's coming in power, and speak of it with pleasure. During a long season, the state of the church would be deformed by sin; there would be a mixture of truth and error, of happiness and misery. Such is the experience of God's people, a mingled state of grace and corruption. But, when the season is at the worst, and most unpromising, the Lord will turn darkness into light; deliverance comes when God's people have done looking for it.
vv8-15
Some consider that the progress of the gospel, beginning from Jerusalem, is referred to by the living waters flowing from that city. Neither shall the gospel and means of grace, nor the graces of the Spirit wrought in the hearts of believers by those means, ever fail, by reason either of the heat of persecution, or storms of temptation, or the blasts of any other affliction. Tremendous judgments appear to be foretold, to be sent upon those who should oppose the settlement of the Jews in their own land. How far they are to be understood literally, events alone can determine. The furious rage and malice which stir up men against each other, are faint shadows of the enmity which reigns among those who have perished in their sins. Even the inferior creatures often suffer for the sin of man, and in his plagues. Thus God will show his displeasure against sin.
vv16-21
As it is impossible for all nations literally to come to Jerusalem once a year, to keep a feast, it is evident that a figurative meaning must here be applied. Gospel worship is represented by the keeping of the feast of tabernacles. Every day of a Christian's life is a day of the feast of tabernacles; every Lord's day especially is the great day of the feast; therefore every day let us worship the Lord of hosts, and keep every Lord's day with peculiar solemnity. It is just for God to withhold the blessings of grace from those who do not attend the means of grace. It is a sin that is its own punishment; those who forsake the duty, forfeit the privilege of communion with God. A time of complete peace and purity of the church will arrive. Men will carry on their common affairs, and their sacred services, upon the same holy principles of faith, love and obedience. Real holiness shall be more diffused, because there shall be a more plentiful pouring forth of the Spirit of holiness than ever before. There shall be holiness even in common things. Every action and every enjoyment of the believer, should be so regulated according to the will of God, that it may be directed to his glory. Our whole lives should be as one constant sacrifice, or act of devotion; no selfish motive should prevail in any of our actions. But how far is the Christian church from this state of purity! Other times, however, are at hand, and the Lord will reform and enlarge his church, as he has promised. Yet in heaven alone will perfect holiness and happiness be found.
Key Words
הִנֵּה: lo!
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
שָׁלָל: booty
חָלַק: to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate
קֶרֶב: properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition)
אָסַף: to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
אֵל: near, with or among; often in general, to
Cross References
Zechariah 14The Mount of Olives as the scene of both Christ's physical ascension and promised return.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel's vision of the glory of the Lord departing from the city over the Mount of Olives.
Supported by JFB
Explicit historical marker of the great earthquake during the reign of King Uzziah.
Supported by JFB
Parallel prophecy of God gathering all nations to battle in the valley of decision.
Supported by Poole, JFB
God fighting for Israel against Egypt at the Red Sea, a pattern of His divine intervention.
Supported by Calvin, JFB
Vision of living, healing waters flowing eastward from the temple in Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic parallel of a fountain flowing from the house of the Lord to water dry places.
Supported by JFB
The priestly inscription 'Holiness to the Lord' on the mitre, now extended to common horse bells.
The river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne.
Parallel topographical restoration landmarks of Jerusalem, including the tower of Hananeel.
There shall be 'no more curse' corresponding directly to 'no more utter destruction.'
God causes every man's sword to be against his brother among the invading hosts.
Historical precedent of God defeating enemies by setting every man's sword against his fellow.
The Feast of Tabernacles, commemorating God's dwelling with man, celebrated by nations.
Supported by Henry
Contrasts Egypt's reliance on irrigation by foot with Israel's reliance on rain from heaven.
No defiled person or abomination can enter, corresponding to 'no more the Canaanite.'
Parable of the king sending armies to destroy those murderers and burn up their city.
Supported by Poole
The city having no need of sun or moon because God's glory provides light.
The God of heaven setting up a kingdom that will consume all other kingdoms.
Upon Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness.