Zechariah14
New Living Translation
1Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you!
2I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city.
3Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past.
4On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south.
5You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him.
6On that day the sources of light will no longer shine,
7yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light.
8On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter.
9And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.
10All the land from Geba, north of Judah, to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become one vast plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up in its original place and will be inhabited all the way from the Benjamin Gate over to the site of the old gate, then to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.
11And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed.
12And the Lord will send a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their people will become like walking corpses, their flesh rotting away. Their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
13On that day they will be terrified, stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will fight their neighbors hand to hand.
14Judah, too, will be fighting at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the neighboring nations will be captured—great quantities of gold and silver and fine clothing.
15This same plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in the enemy camps.
16In the end, the enemies of Jerusalem who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters.
17Any nation in the world that refuses to come to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will have no rain.
18If the people of Egypt refuse to attend the festival, the Lord will punish them with the same plague that he sends on the other nations who refuse to go.
19Egypt and the other nations will all be punished if they don’t go to celebrate the Festival of Shelters.
20On that day even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these words: Holy to the lord. And the cooking pots in the Temple of the Lord will be as sacred as the basins used beside the altar.
21In fact, every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. All who come to worship will be free to use any of these pots to boil their sacrifices. And on that day there will no longer be traders in the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
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.