Zechariah Chapter 14

The Destroyers of Jerusalem Destroyed

1Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

9And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. 11And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

12And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 13And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. 14And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 15And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.

All Nations will Worship the King

16And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

The Destroyers of Jerusalem Destroyed

1 Behold, a day of Yahweh comes, when your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then Yahweh will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Yahweh my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.

6 It will happen in that day, that there will not be light, cold, or frost. 7 It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light.

8 It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter will it be.

9 Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one.

10 All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin’s gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. 11 Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely.

12 This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth. 13 It will happen in that day, that a great panic from Yahweh will be among them; and they will lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand will rise up against the hand of his neighbor. 14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together: gold, and silver, and clothing, in great abundance. 15 So will be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the donkey, and of all the animals that will be in those camps, as that plague.

All Nations Will Worship the King
(Leviticus 23:33–44; Nehemiah 8:13–18)

16 It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, and to keep the feast of tents. 17 It will be, that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn’t go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt doesn’t go up, and doesn’t come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike the nations that don’t go up to keep the feast of tents. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don’t go up to keep the feast of tents.

20 In that day there will be on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO YAHWEH;” and the pots in Yahweh’s house will be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of Armies; and all those who sacrifice will come and take of them, and cook in them. In that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of Armies.

The Destroyers of Jerusalem Destroyed

1 Behold, a day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. 2 For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.

3 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south. 5 You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee 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. a

6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a day known only to the LORD, without day or night; but when evening comes, there will be light.

8 And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea b and the other half toward the Western Sea, c in summer and winter alike. 9 On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone.

10 All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. 11 People will live there, and never again will there be an utter destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell securely.

12 And this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.

13 On that day a great panic from the LORD will come upon them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other. 14 Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance. 15 And a similar plague will strike the horses and mules, camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

All Nations Will Worship the King
(Leviticus 23:33–44; Nehemiah 8:13–18)

16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. d 17 And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter in, then the rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

20 On that day, HOLY TO THE LORD e will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the house of the LORD will be like the sprinkling bowls before the altar. 21 Indeed, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD of Hosts, and all who sacrifice will come and take some pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite f in the house of the LORD of Hosts.

Footnotes:

5 a LXX; Hebrew with You
8 b That is, the Dead Sea
8 c That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea
16 d That is, Sukkot, the autumn feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also translated as the Feast of Booths  or the Feast of Shelters  and originally called the Feast of Ingathering  (see Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22).
20 e That is, the LORD
21 f Or merchant

The Destroyers of Jerusalem Destroyed

1Lo, a day hath come to Jehovah, And divided hath been thy spoil in thy midst. 2And I have gathered all the nations unto Jerusalem to battle, And captured hath been the city, And spoiled have been the houses, And the women are lain with, Gone forth hath half the city in a removal, And the remnant of the people are not cut off from the city. 3And gone forth hath Jehovah, And He hath fought against those nations, As in the day of His fighting in a day of conflict. 4And stood have His feet, in that day, On the mount of Olives, That is before Jerusalem eastward, And cleft hath been the mount of Olives at its midst, To the east, and to the west, a very great valley, And removed hath the half of the mount towards the north. And its half towards the south. 5And ye have fled to the valley of My mountains, For join doth the valley of the mountains to Azal, And ye have fled as ye fled before the shaking, In the days of Uzziah king of Judah, And come in hath Jehovah my God, All holy ones are with Thee.

6And it hath come to pass, in that day, The precious light is not, it is dense darkness, 7And there hath been one day, It is known to Jehovah, not day nor night, And it hath been at evening-time -- there is light.

8And it hath come to pass, in that day, Go forth do living waters from Jerusalem, Half of them unto the eastern sea, And half of them unto the western sea, In summer and in winter it is.

9And Jehovah hath become king over all the land, In that day there is one Jehovah, and His name one.

10Changed is all the land as a plain, From Gebo to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, And she hath been high, and hath dwelt in her place, Even from the gate of Benjamin To the place of the first gate, unto the front gate, And from the tower of Hananeel, Unto the wine-vats of the king. 11And they have dwelt in her, And destruction is no more, And Jerusalem hath dwelt confidently.

12And this is the plague with which Jehovah Doth plague all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem, He hath consumed away its flesh, And it is standing on its feet, And its eyes are consumed in their holes, And its tongue is consumed in their mouth. 13And it hath come to pass, in that day, A great destruction from Jehovah is among them, And they have seized each the hand of his neighbour, And gone up hath his hand against the hand of his neighbour. 14And also Judah is fought with in Jerusalem, And gathered hath been the force of all the nations round about, Gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 15And so is the plague of the horse, of the mule, Of the camel, and of the ass, And of all the cattle that are in these camps, As this plague.

All Nations will Worship the King

16And it hath come to pass, Every one who hath been left of all the nations, Who are coming in against Jerusalem, They have also gone up from year to year, To bow themselves to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, And to celebrate the feast of the booths. 17And it hath come to pass, That he who doth not go up of the families of the land unto Jerusalem, To bow himself to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, Even on them there is no shower. 18And if the family of Egypt go not up, nor come in, Then not on them is the plague With which Jehovah doth plague the nations That go not up to celebrate the feast of booths. 19This is the punishment of the sin of Egypt, And the punishment of the sin of all the nations, That go not up to celebrate the feast of booths.

20In that day there is on bells of the horse, 'Holy to Jehovah,' And the pots in the house of Jehovah Have been as bowls before the altar. 21And every pot in Jerusalem, and in Judah, Have been holy to Jehovah of Hosts, And all those sacrificing have come in, And have taken of them, and boiled in them, And there is no merchant any more in the house of Jehovah of Hosts in that day!

The F.O.G Commentary:

1What is the meaning of Zechariah 14?

1.1Introduction to Zechariah 14

1.2Context of Zechariah 14

1.3Ancient Key Word Study

1.4Compare & Contrast

1.5Zechariah 14 Unique Insights

1.6Zechariah 14 Connections to Yeshua

1.7Zechariah 14 Scriptural Echoes

1.8Zechariah 14 Devotional

1.9Did You Know

What is the meaning of Zechariah 14?

Introduction to Zechariah 14

Zechariah 14 stands as one of the most dramatic and visually striking prophecies in all of Scripture, painting a magnificent panorama of the Day of the Lord and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. This chapter serves as the crescendo of Zechariah’s prophecies, depicting the final battle for Jerusalem, the triumphant return of the Messiah, and the ultimate establishment of His worldwide reign. The vivid imagery and detailed prophecies contained within make this chapter particularly significant for understanding both Jewish and Christian eschatology.

Context of Zechariah 14

Within the book of Zechariah, chapter 14 serves as the climactic conclusion to a series of prophecies that began in chapter 12. These final chapters form a distinct unit focused on the ultimate destiny of Jerusalem and the Jewish people. The previous chapters described the piercing of the Messiah (Zechariah 12:10), the cleansing fountain for sin (Zechariah 13:1), and the striking of the Shepherd (Zechariah 13:7). Now, chapter 14 brings this prophetic sequence to its glorious conclusion.

In the broader context of Scripture, this chapter aligns with other major eschatological passages such as Joel 3, Isaiah 24-27, and Revelation 19-20. It provides crucial details about the Day of the Lord, the Millennial Kingdom, and the new order of worship that will be established. The chapter serves as a bridge between current history and the eternal state, offering hope to God’s people in every age.

The prophecies contained here would have given tremendous encouragement to the post-exilic Jewish community, assuring them that despite their current struggles, Jerusalem’s ultimate destiny was secure in God’s hands. This message continues to resonate with believers today who await the final fulfillment of these promises.

Ancient Key Word Study

יום ליהוה (Yom L’Adonai) – “Day of the Lord”: This phrase carries tremendous theological weight, signifying not just a single day but the entire period of God’s decisive intervention in history. The Hebrew construction emphasizes divine ownership – it is His day, His time of acting in judgment and salvation.
שלל (Shalal) – “Plunder”: The word choice is particularly poignant as it recalls the many times Jerusalem’s wealth was plundered by enemies. Here, in divine reversal, the wealth of all nations will be gathered against Jerusalem but will ultimately become sacred to the Lord.
ונלחם (V’nilcham) – “He will fight”: The use of this military term is significant as it portrays יהוה as a Divine Warrior, personally engaging in battle on behalf of His people. The form used suggests continuous, decisive action.
קדש (Kodesh) – “Holy”: This term appears multiple times in the chapter, emphasizing the transformation of the ordinary into the sacred. Even common cooking pots will become holy vessels in the Lord’s house.
מלך (Melech) – “King”: The term here carries the full weight of ancient Near Eastern kingship ideology but is transformed to describe יהוה’s universal sovereignty. He becomes King over all the earth, not just Israel.
מים־חיים (Mayim Chayim) – “Living Waters”: This powerful metaphor represents both physical and spiritual renewal. The term connects to numerous biblical passages about God as the source of life-giving water.
והיה (V’hayah) – “And it will be”: This prophetic formula appears multiple times, marking pivotal transitions and emphasizing the certainty of these future events. It’s not merely predictive but declarative of God’s purposes.
חג הסכות (Chag HaSukkot) – “Feast of Tabernacles”: The specific mention of this feast carries deep theological significance, pointing to the ultimate ingathering of all nations to worship the one true God.

Compare & Contrast

Verse 2: The phrase “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem” uses the Hebrew אספ (asaf) rather than קבץ (kibbutz). This choice emphasizes forced assemblage rather than voluntary gathering, highlighting God’s sovereign control even over hostile forces.
Verse 4: The splitting of the Mount of Olives uses בקע (baqa), the same verb used for the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus, deliberately echoing that miraculous deliverance and suggesting a new exodus.
Verse 8: The “living waters” flowing from Jerusalem employs the dual directional markers – half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea – emphasizing the complete and universal nature of this life-giving flow.
Verse 9: The declaration “יהוה will be king over all the earth” uses the singular form of earth (הארץ) rather than the plural (ארצות), emphasizing the unification of all creation under His rule.
Verse 16: The requirement for nations to worship uses the verb עלה (alah – to go up), the traditional term for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, incorporating the nations into Israel’s worship pattern.
Verse 20: The inscription “Holy to יהוה” on horses’ bells uses the same phraseology as found on the High Priest’s crown, indicating the elevation of the mundane to sacred status.
Verse 21: The absence of Canaanites uses the term כנעני (Canaani) which can also mean “trader,” suggesting both ethnic and moral purification of worship.

Zechariah 14 Unique Insights

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The chapter contains several extraordinary supernatural elements that deserve special attention. The splitting of the Mount of Olives creates a new valley, which according to ancient Jewish commentary, mirrors the valley Moses created by splitting the Red Sea. The Midrash Rabbah draws this parallel, suggesting that just as the first redemption involved the splitting of waters, the final redemption will involve the splitting of mountains.

The description of the plague in verse 12 has fascinated both ancient and modern commentators. The Hebrew text describes a condition where flesh “dissolves” while people are still standing, using the verb מקק (maqaq), which appears elsewhere in Scripture to describe the rotting of manna or the decay of bones. Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak) commented that this supernatural plague demonstrates God’s ability to bypass natural laws, showing His complete sovereignty over creation.

The concept of “no day or night” (verse 7) presents a fascinating theological puzzle. The Hebrew phrase היה לא־יום ולא־לילה suggests a complete transformation of natural order. The Jerusalem Talmud (Berakhot 2:1) connects this to the messianic age where the normal distinctions between sacred and secular will be transformed. This aligns perfectly with the Messianic Jewish understanding of Yeshua’s role in making all things new.

The universal celebration of Sukkot described in verses 16-19 represents a radical transformation in world religion. The Tosefta to Sukkah discusses how this serves as evidence that in the Messianic age, the nations will not convert to Judaism per se, but rather will worship the God of Israel while maintaining their distinct national identities – a concept that aligns with New Testament teaching about the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s people.

Zechariah 14 Connections to Yeshua

The chapter’s portrayal of the Messiah’s return perfectly aligns with Yeshua’s own prophecies about His second coming. The description of His feet standing on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) corresponds to the angels’ prophecy in Acts 1:11-12, where Yeshua ascended from the Mount of Olives with the promise of returning in the same way.

The establishment of יהוה as King over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9) finds its fulfillment in Yeshua’s role as described in Revelation 11:15 and Philippians 2:10-11. The living waters flowing from Jerusalem echo Yeshua’s words about being the source of living water (John 7:37-38) and connect to the river of life in Revelation 22:1.

Zechariah 14 Scriptural Echoes

The chapter resonates deeply with numerous biblical passages. The gathering of nations against Jerusalem parallels Joel 3:2 and Revelation 16:14-16. The supernatural darkness recalls the plague of Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23) and Yeshua’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:45).

The living waters flowing from Jerusalem connect to Ezekiel 47:1-12 and Revelation 22:1-2. The universal worship and celebration of Sukkot fulfills Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-3.

The transformation of common items into holy vessels echoes Isaiah 23:18 and anticipates the new creation described in Revelation 21:27.

Zechariah 14 Devotional

This powerful chapter challenges us to live in light of the coming Day of the Lord. While we await the physical return of our Messiah, we’re called to live as citizens of His kingdom now. The promise that “יהוה will be king over all the earth” should inspire us to submit every area of our lives to His lordship today.

The transformation of common vessels into holy items reminds us that in Messiah, our ordinary lives can become extraordinary testimonies of God’s grace. Just as every pot in Jerusalem will be holy to the Lord, every aspect of our lives – our work, relationships, and daily activities – can be sanctified for His glory.

The universal celebration of Sukkot challenges us to embrace God’s heart for all nations. We’re called to be part of His plan to draw all peoples to Himself, breaking down barriers and celebrating the diversity of His kingdom while maintaining unity in our worship of Him.

Did You Know

The phrase “living waters” in verse 8 uses the same Hebrew construction (מים חיים) found in Genesis 26:19, suggesting a restoration of Eden-like conditions.
The splitting of the Mount of Olives creates a valley running east-west, which would provide a perfect escape route to the Dead Sea region, exactly as the text describes.
The celebration of Sukkot by all nations represents the only biblical feast explicitly mentioned as being celebrated in the Messianic age.
The Hebrew word for “plague” (מגפה) in verse 12 is the same word used to describe the plagues of Egypt, suggesting a similar divine intervention.
The requirement for nations to celebrate Sukkot includes the Egyptian people specifically, showing how former enemies will become worshippers.
The inscription “Holy to יהוה” on horse bells uses the exact same phrase found on the High Priest’s crown in Exodus 28:36.
The prohibition of merchants (Canaanites) in the temple area may refer to Yeshua’s cleansing of the temple, suggesting a permanent end to the commercialization of worship.
The geographical changes described would make Jerusalem the highest point in the region, fulfilling Micah 4:1.

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