Zechariah chapter 14
This is an attempt at exegesis
based on grammatical observations of the Hebrew text
By Stephen Ng
Zech.
14:1 הִנֵּה יוֹם־בָּא לַיהוָה
וְחֻלַּק שְׁלָלֵךְ בְּקִרְבֵּךְ׃
Zech. 14:2
וְאָסַפְתִּי אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִלְכְּדָה
הָעִיר וְנָשַׁסּוּ הַבָּתִּים וְהַנָּשִׁים תִּשָּׁגַלְנָה [תִּשָּׁכַבְנָה]
וְיָצָא חֲצִי הָעִיר בַּגּוֹלָה וְיֶתֶר הָעָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת מִן־הָעִיר׃
Zech. 14:3
וְיָצָא יְהוָה וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם כְּיוֹם הִלָּחֲמו בְּיוֹם קְרָב׃
Zech. 14:4
וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בַּיּוֹם־הַהוּא עַל־הַר הַזֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי
יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִקֶּדֶם וְנִבְקַע הַר הַזֵּיתִים מֵחֶצְיוֹ מִזְרָחָה וָיָמָּה
גֵּיא גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וּמָשׁ חֲצִי הָהָר צָפוֹנָה וְחֶצְיוֹ־נֶגְבָּה׃
Zech. 14:5
וְנַסְתֶּם גֵּיא־הָרַי כִּי־יַגִּיעַ גֵּי־הָרִים אֶל־אָצַל וְנַסְתֶּם כַּאֲשֶׁר
נַסְתֶּם מִפְּנֵי הָרַעַשׁ בִּימֵי עֻזִּיָּה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וּבָא יְהוָה
אֱלֹהַי כָּל־קְדֹשִׁים עִמָּךְ׃
Zech. 14:6
וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֹא־יִהְיֶה אוֹר יְקָרוֹת יִקְפְּאוּן [וְ][קִפָּאוֹן׃]
Zech. 14:7
וְהָיָה יוֹם־אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַיהוָה לֹא־יוֹם וְלֹא־לָיְלָה וְהָיָה
לְעֵת־עֶרֶב יִהְיֶה־אוֹר׃
Zech. 14:8
וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יֵצְאוּ מַיִם־חַיִּים מִירוּשָׁלִַם חֶצְיָם אֶל־הַיָּם
הַקַּדְמוֹנִי וְחֶצְיָם אֶל־הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן בַּקַּיִץ וּבָחֹרֶף יִהְיֶה׃
Zech. 14:9
וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד
וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד׃
Zech. 14:10
יִסּוֹב כָּל־הָאָרֶץ כָּעֲרָבָה מִגֶּבַע לְרִמּוֹן נֶגֶב יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְרָאֲמָה
וְיָשְׁבָה תַחְתֶּיהָ לְמִשַּׁעַר בִּנְיָמִן עַד־מְקוֹם שַׁעַר הָרִאשׁוֹן
עַד־שַׁעַר הַפִּנִּים וּמִגְדַּל חֲנַנְאֵל עַד יִקְבֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃
Zech. 14:11
וְיָשְׁבוּ בָהּ וְחֵרֶם לֹא יִהְיֶה־עוֹד וְיָשְׁבָה יְרוּשָׁלִַם לָבֶטַח׃
Zech. 14:12
וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף יְהוָה אֶת־כָּל־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר
צָבְאוּ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָמֵק בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהוּא עֹמֵד עַל־רַגְלָיו וְעֵינָיו
תִּמַּקְנָה בְחֹרֵיהֶן וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תִּמַּק בְּפִיהֶם׃
Zech. 14:13
וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא תִּהְיֶה מְהוּמַת־יְהוָה רַבָּה בָּהֶם וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ
אִישׁ יַד רֵעֵהוּ וְעָלְתָה יָדוֹ עַל־יַד רֵעֵהוּ׃
Zech. 14:14
וְגַם־יְהוּדָה תִּלָּחֵם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְאֻסַּף חֵיל כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם סָבִיב
זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּבְגָדִים לָרֹב מְאֹד׃
Zech. 14:15
וְכֵן תִּהְיֶה מַגֵּפַת הַסּוּס הַפֶּרֶד הַגָּמָל וְהַחֲמוֹר וְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה
אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּמַּחֲנוֹת הָהֵמָּה כַּמַּגֵּפָה הַזֹּאת׃
Verses 1, 2
In verses 1, 2, Jerusalem is
sieged. The LORD Himself will gather (וְאָסַפְתִּ֨י) all
the nations to go against the physical Jerusalem in a final battle. This
imagery of the enemy’s attack on Jerusalem would have been vivid on the minds
of the exiles who had just returned from Babylon. Although the generation who
saw Jerusalem’s destruction would have passed on, the stories would have been
told to the young generations.
The second incident when this
attack on Jerusalem happened when the Romans attacked Jerusalem and the temple
in AD 70. It is not possible that this prophecy refers to the AD70 attack, as
certain details of the prophecy such as the splitting of Mount of Olives into
two halves did not happen during the Roman siege and the attack by the Romans
on Jerusalem was never followed by the intervention of the LORD of Sabaoth (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת).
Καὶ συνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν καλούμενον Ἑβραϊστὶ
Ἁρμαγεδών.
(And they gathered them together to
the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon (הַר מְגִדּוֹ)).
However, this is strictly
speculative, for there is at least a distance of about 90km between Jerusalem
and Tel Megiddo. Therefore, I would not link the two references as one incident
except to say that there are some similarities.
Unlike the first two sieges
by the Babylonians in 586BC and the Romans in AD70, there is no mention of the
Jerusalem temple (הֵיכַל
יְהוָה) this time when Jerusalem is
attacked, but its silence in scriptures cannot be interpreted as the temple
being non-existent.
The position of the Athnah
and the Zaqef Qaton (Hebrew cantillations) suggest a logical break in verse 2
which gives us five signs of what will happen to the physical Jerusalem: (1)
City of Jerusalem will be captured; (2) the houses ransacked; (3) women raped
(4) half of the city’s population deported; (5) and the rest of the people will
not be cut off (לֹ֥א
יִכָּרֵ֖ת) from
Jerusalem. The holocaust would be far worse than the great holocaust during the
Nazi era when Jerusalem is captured by these nations.
וְנִלְכְּדָ֣ה הָעִ֗יר
וְנָשַׁ֙סּוּ֙ הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים
וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים תִּשָּׁגַלְנָה [תִּשָּׁכַ֑בְנָה]
וְיָצָ֞א חֲצִ֤י הָעִיר֙ בַּגּוֹלָ֔ה
וְיֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם
לֹ֥א
יִכָּרֵ֖ת מִן־הָעִֽיר
Verses 3-15
The Athnah is placed at the
word הָהֵם; hence we see the first main phrase here reads,
“The LORD will go and fight against those nations (בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם).” This will be the last major confrontation between the forces
of good and evil.
”וְיָצָא יְהוָה וְנִלְחַם
בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם“
(Zechariah
14:3 HMT-W4)
The intensity of this battle
will be so great that all other battles in human history would pale away by
comparison. The Interpreter’s Bible gives references of battles where the LORD
fought for Israel (Judges 5:4-5; 1 Sam 7:10; 2 Kings 19:35).
There are many details of
this prophecy that cannot be feigned by any false Christs. When it happens, you
know it is the LORD:
(a)
The LORD’s feet will on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the
east side. Mount of Olives will split into two, creating a big valley between
the East and the West (verse 4).
נִבְקַע֩ הַ֨ר
הַזֵּיתִ֤ים מֵֽחֶצְיוֹ֙ מִזְרָ֣חָה וָיָ֔מָּה גֵּ֖יא גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד
Zechariah 5:4
The verse has the Athnah
at the word מְאֹ֑ד which then transitions into the second half
(in weightage) of the verse, which speaks of a massive earth movement to the
North and to the South. This will be reported as a major earthquake (רַ֔עַשׁ).
וּמָ֨שׁ חֲצִ֥י הָהָ֛ר
צָפ֖וֹנָה וְחֶצְיוֹ־נֶֽגְבָּה
Zechariah 5:4
(b)
There will be a massive exodus of people through the new valley (verse 5).
(c)
The LORD Himself with come with the holy ones. Here, Zechariah implies that
we will know it is the LORD who is coming. There will no mistaken identity.
וּבָא֙ יְהוָ֣ה
אֱלֹהַ֔י כָּל־קְדֹשִׁ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ׃
Zechariah 5:4
(d)
Contrary to the idea of God appearing in bright lights (as in Ezekiel 43:2),
there will be no light (לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה
א֔וֹר) because the luminaries will
stop giving out light (יְקָר֖וֹת
יִקְפְּאוּן). There
will basically disorder and chaos. No one will know whether it is day or night.
There will be no light during the day and now, in the evening (עֶ֖רֶב) we read that there will be light (אֽוֹר) even in the evening (עֶ֖רֶב). This
will be a “unique” day although (יוֹם־אֶחָ֗ד) can
also be translated as ‘one day’. Although it can be numerically one day, it is not
necessarily to be interpreted as a 24-hour day, but it is the day that the
LORD will manifest His power over the nations of the world that come against
Jerusalem.
וְהָיָ֣ה יוֹם־אֶחָ֗ד
ה֛וּא יִוָּדַ֥ע לַֽיהוָ֖ה לֹא־י֣וֹם וְלֹא־לָ֑יְלָה וְהָיָ֥ה לְעֵֽת־עֶ֖רֶב
יִֽהְיֶה־אֽוֹר׃
(Zechariah
14:7 HMT-W4)
(e)
Another sign of this prophecy is the living water (מַֽיִם־חַיִּים֙) that will flow out of Jerusalem perpetually (irrespectively of
the season) both eastward and westward into the sea (verse 7).
(f)
The Lord will reign supreme over the earth on that said day; His Name will
be universally acknowledged by all as the only One Name. The Shema Yis’rael –
the LORD our God is One – will be the universal mandate for all.
יְהוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד
וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד
(Zechariah
14:9 HMT-W4)
(g)
Verse 10: All the land (probably around Jerusalem) will be turned into a
desert plain (עֲרָבָה֙).
(h) Verse 11: After experiencing the devastation in verse 2, now Jerusalem will once again be occupied and there will no longer be a curse (חֵ֖רֶם) on the city and security (בֶֽטַח) in it. The same word חֵ֖רֶם is used in 1 Samuel 15:21 which is translated as ‘destruction.’
וַיִּקַּ֨ח הָעָ֧ם
מֵהַשָּׁלָ֛ל צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר רֵאשִׁ֣ית הַחֵ֑רֶם לִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ
בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃
(1 Samuel 15:21 HMT-W4)
But the people took
some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at
Gilgal. (1 Samuel 15:21 NAS95)
The Interpreters’ Bible (Vol
6 p 1112) suggests that that the חֵ֖רֶם refers
to the “ban which was sometimes placed upon a captured city, whereas all that
was in it was offered as a holocaust to the god of the conqueror (Joshua
6:17-19, 24).”
(i)
While Jerusalem is in a state of stability or secure from any further
attacks (בֶֽטַח), the shift is towards the nations who
fought against Jerusalem – their armies will be struck with plaques (מַּגֵּפָ֗ה).
(a) They will see rot
(הָמֵ֣ק) in their flesh, their eyes and their tongue.
(b) The panic of the
LORD (מְהֽוּמַת־יְהוָ֛ה) will strike them; there will be confusion
and slaughtering of each other.
(c) The plagues (מַּגֵּפָ֖ה) will also affect the animals (verse 15).
(j)
The involvement of Judah in the war is now mentioned for the first time
here and there will be a plundering of the nations that have attacked Jerusalem
(verse 14).
וְאֻסַּף֩ חֵ֨יל כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֜ם סָבִ֗יב זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֛סֶף וּבְגָדִ֖ים לָרֹ֥ב
מְאֹֽד
(Zechariah 14:14 HMT-W4)
Verses 16-21
Although Chapter 14 is one
whole block based how the Masoretic text is divided, the use of the word ‘וְהָיָ֗ה’ at the start of verse 16 shows a very obvious transition. The
word which means, ‘And it happened’ is translated as ‘Then’ in the New American
Standard Bible.
It must be noted that all the
following prophecies will only happen after the appearance of the LORD of
Sabaoth on Mount of Olives and the battle between the LORD of Sabaoth and the
nations that attack Jerusalem. Thereafter, the LORD will be the King before focus
shifts to the remnant from the nations that attacked Jerusalem; these are the people
from the nations whose army have gone to war with Jerusalem.
כָּל־הַנּוֹתָר֙ מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַבָּאִ֖ים
עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם
(Zechariah 14:16 HMT-W4)
(a)
Year after year (שָׁנָ֣ה
בְשָׁנָ֗ה) they
will make pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship the LORD of Sabaoth who is King
(verse 16);
(b)
They will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (וְלָחֹ֖ג אֶת־חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת) (verse 16);
(c)
Those who choose not to go to Jerusalem to worship the LORD will experience
long periods of drought (וְלֹ֥א
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה הַגָּֽשֶׁם) (verse
17);
(d)
A further explanation is given of verse 17 by the example of the family of
Egypt which in the context of Israel, were previously, their task masters. It is
interesting to note that much of Egypt’s crop depended on irrigation more than
rainfall; yet, this same punishment will also be meted against them.
”וְאִם־מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת מִצְרַ֧יִם לֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֛ה וְלֹ֥א בָאָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם“
(Zechariah 14:18 HMT-W4)
(e)
Verse 19 parallels verse 17 in spelling out the punishment (חַטַּ֣את) is long periods of drought but it adds the celebration of the
Feast of Tabernacles.
זֹ֥את תִּהְיֶ֖ה חַטַּ֣את מִצְרָ֑יִם
וְחַטַּאת֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יַֽעֲל֔וּ לָחֹ֖ג אֶת־חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃
(Zechariah 14:19 HMT-W4)
To understand the
significance of this Feast of Tabernacles, we have to understand two important
things which the feast foreshadowed[1].
It was a tradition well understood within the context of Zechariah’s
contemporaries as:
(a)
A commemoration of the 40 years in the wilderness where the tabernacle of
God was in their midst; hence, the reason for its celebration when Solomon
dedicated the Temple he had completed Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:65). This foreshadows
Christ who was to come, but is now with us. The name in Isaiah 7:14, עִמָּ֥נוּ אֵֽל is, in fact, made of
two words, that can be literarily translated as ‘God, (He is) with us’;
(b)
Later, when Israel occupied the land promised to them, this became part of
their celebration in the agricultural cycle. It was a time of the year where
the final harvest was being brought in; hence, the feast was also known as the
Feast of Ingathering. This occurred in the autumn months just before the rainy
season, when a new agricultural year began.
(c)
Along with this, the day will come when the prophecies of Zechariah come
true, there will be other signs of fulfilment:
o
the bell on the horses will carry the words, “קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת” (Holy
to the Lord)
o
all the cooking basins (כָּל־סִ֨יר) in Jerusalem and Judah will be considered
“קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָ֣ה
צְבָא֔וֹת” (Holy
to the Lord of Sabaoth)
o
There will no longer be a Canaanite in the House of the Lord’ appears to be
speaking about the men of sin than an entire race that will become extinct. Compare
this with Revelation 21: 27.
”וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֨ה כְנַעֲנִ֥י ע֛וֹד בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא“
(Zechariah
14:21 HMT-W4)
“καὶ οὐ μὴ
εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτὴν πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ [ὁ] ποιῶν βδέλυγμα καὶ ψεῦδος
εἰ μὴ οἱ γεγραμμένοι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου.”
(Revelation 21:27 GNT28-T)
Rev. 21:27 NASB: and
nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever
come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of
life.
Conclusion
In the finale to the book of
Zechariah, there is a note of exuberance. But before that day comes, there will
be the great battle between the LORD of Sabaoth Himself and the nations that
attack Jerusalem. The remnant from those who belong to the nations who attack
Jerusalem, if they still choose not to worship the LORD as King, for them,
there will be no rain. Rain was understandably the survival for the
agricultural community in Israel.
Although we can draw some
comparison of this major battle mentioned in Chapter 14 to the Battle of the
Har-Magedon (Revelation 16:13-21), and the Jerusalem thereafter to the New
Jerusalem in Revelation, this is only speculative at this point and care must
be taken into consideration when comparing the two passages which is beyond the
scope of this article.
In many ways, the Feast of
Tabernacles reminds us that in the New Jerusalem, we will see God’s tabernacle
again in the midst of His people:
“ἰδοὺ ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ τῶν
ἀνθρώπων, καὶ σκηνώσει μετ̓ αὐτῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ λαοὶ αὐτοῦ ἔσονται,
καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς μετ̓ αὐτῶν ἔσται [αὐτῶν θεός],”
(Revelation 21:3 GNT28-T)
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will
dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among
them,”
(Revelation 21:3 NAS95)
[1] Walton, John H., Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W.
Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament.
Accordance electronic ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
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