Zechariah 1 3

Zechariah 1:3 kjv

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 1:3 nkjv

Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 1:3 niv

Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty.

Zechariah 1:3 esv

Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 1:3 nlt

Therefore, say to the people, 'This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.'

Zechariah 1 verses

Zechariah 1 3 Meaning

Zechariah 1:3 conveys a direct and solemn declaration from the LORD of hosts, calling the post-exilic Jewish community to repentance and spiritual restoration. It states that if they turn back to God in sincerity, He will reciprocally turn to them, signifying the renewal of His favor, presence, and blessings. This bilateral return underscores the conditional nature of the covenant relationship, where human obedience and repentance precede divine restoration and grace.

Zechariah 1 3 Context

Zechariah 1:3 opens the first of Zechariah’s two distinct parts, specifically the introduction to the initial eight night visions. This prophetic message was delivered in the second year of Darius Hystaspes' reign (520 BC), roughly eighteen years after the initial return from Babylonian exile under Cyrus’s decree. The historical backdrop is the post-exilic community in Judah, which had made a physical return to the land but had grown complacent in their spiritual commitment and the task of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.

Zechariah, alongside the prophet Haggai, was commissioned to stir the people’s faith and motivation. The immediate verses preceding verse 3 (Zec 1:1-2) establish the prophetic authority and God’s anger towards their ancestors who had provoked Him by their disobedience. Thus, verse 3 is a direct exhortation: do not follow your ancestors' rebellious path (explicitly stated in Zec 1:4). It is a call to break the cycle of backsliding and fully embrace their covenant responsibilities, which God promises to meet with His responsive favor and presence. The spiritual rebuilding was paramount, intended to be mirrored by the physical rebuilding of the temple as a symbol of God's presence among His people.

Zechariah 1 3 Word analysis

• Therefore say to them,

  • Indicates a logical consequence or direct instruction from the divine realm to the prophet for transmission to the people. It emphasizes the immediacy and divine origin of the message.

• ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts:

  • Thus says (כֹּה אָמַר - koh amar): A classic prophetic formula signifying that the words are not the prophet’s own, but an authoritative, direct revelation from God Himself.
  • the LORD of hosts (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - YHWH Tsavaoth): This title, repeated three times in this single verse, is profoundly significant. YHWH is the personal, covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and self-existent nature. Tsavaoth means "armies," "hosts," or "heavenly bodies." It depicts God as the Sovereign Commander of all spiritual and celestial forces, angelic armies, and cosmic elements. Its repeated use here underscores His immense power, supreme authority, and absolute capacity to fulfill both His promises of restoration and warnings of judgment. It signifies a God fully capable of delivering on His pledge to return to them, highlighting the immense authority behind the command and promise.

• “Return to Me,”

  • Return (שׁוּבוּ - Shuvu): This is an imperative plural verb from the root shuv, meaning to turn, repent, or turn back. It implies a change of direction – not merely outward ritual but an inward transformation, a turning away from sin, apathy, and their ancestors' disobedient ways, and a turning towards God. It's a call for deep, genuine repentance and re-orientation of life. It’s an active and personal choice.
  • to Me (אֵלַי - elai): Specifies the direct object of their return. It’s not just repentance from sin generally, but specifically turning back to relationship with God, making Him the central focus of their lives.

• declares the LORD of hosts,

  • This repetition powerfully re-emphasizes the divine authorship and immutable nature of the command and the following promise. It is an emphatic pronouncement, highlighting the seriousness and certainty of the divine message.

• “that I may return to you,”

  • that I may return (וְאָשׁוּבָה - va'ashuva): This is a contingent or result clause, indicating God’s responsive action. It uses the same root shuv, emphasizing the reciprocity of the relationship. God's "returning" to them does not imply He physically moved away, but rather that He would restore His favor, presence, and blessing. It suggests a lifting of divine disfavor (seen in the exile and delays in temple rebuilding) and a restoration of active, favorable intervention in their lives. This is a promise contingent on their obedient turning.
  • to you (אֲלֵיכֶם - aleykem): Specifies the recipients of God's return – the people of Israel collectively.

• says the LORD of hosts."

  • The third and final repetition of this divine title in this verse serves as a definitive seal. It stamps the entire statement with ultimate authority and incontrovertible certainty, assuring the people that this promise and command comes from the highest sovereign power. The repetition is for emphasis and certainty, leaving no doubt about the message's origin or weight.

• Words-group by words-group analysis data:

  • "Thus says the LORD of hosts": The threefold repetition of this divine pronouncement transforms it from a mere formula into a solemn, emphatic declaration. It highlights God's unwavering commitment to His word, His unchallengeable authority over all things, and the certainty of His promised actions—both the expectation of human repentance and the assurance of divine return. It ensures the hearers recognize the gravity and reliability of the message.
  • "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "that I may return to you": This core phrase embodies the conditional, covenantal nature of the relationship between God and His people. It reveals a bilateral movement: human initiative in turning from sin and towards God activates God's promise to turn towards them in favor. This is not God needing to change His nature, but His disposition towards a people whose spiritual alignment changes. The Hebrew root shuv vividly conveys this mutual turning. It portrays God as desiring a restoration of intimate fellowship, contingent upon the genuine repentance of His people.

Zechariah 1 3 Bonus section

The emphasis on the "LORD of hosts" in Zechariah 1:3 also implicitly critiques any tendency towards polytheism or reliance on other nations' gods, prevalent among their ancestors. By reiterating this title, Zechariah firmly reminds the people that their God, YHWH, is the ultimate Sovereign and commander of all power, underscoring the exclusivity and supremacy of their covenant Lord. This reinforces the theological monotheism essential for their spiritual and national identity.

Furthermore, this opening call to repentance sets the stage for Zechariah's subsequent visions and prophecies, which intricately weave together themes of divine judgment, messianic hope, and ultimate restoration. The initial call for a present-day turning points towards a future hope fully realized through God’s sovereign action. It reveals that the physical rebuilding of the Temple (addressed more directly by Haggai) was intended to be a consequence and symbol of deeper spiritual renewal and repentance, not merely an end in itself. Without spiritual return, the physical temple would be just a building.

Zechariah 1 3 Commentary

Zechariah 1:3 distills the heart of the prophetic message to the post-exilic community. Faced with a people who had physically returned to Judah but remained spiritually lukewarm, prioritizing their own affairs over the divine call to rebuild the Temple, God speaks a profound yet simple truth: the restoration of their covenant relationship hinges on their turning to Him.

The thrice-repeated "LORD of hosts" is not merely rhetorical but underscores the message's divine authority, immense power, and the absolute certainty that God will indeed act. It emphasizes that this is not a casual suggestion but a decree from the Sovereign God who commands all creation.

The reciprocal "Return to Me... that I may return to you" encapsulates the essence of biblical repentance. It is not about outward ritual or fleeting regret, but a complete re-orientation of life—a turning away from their ancestral disobedience and present spiritual apathy, and a sincere turning back to God as their focal point. In return, God promises to manifest His presence and favor among them once more, thereby lifting the sense of His withdrawal due to their past sins and current complacency. This means His blessing upon their endeavors, His protection, and His full restoration of covenant promises, notably including the completion of the Temple as a dwelling place for His presence.

This verse serves as a foundational principle throughout Scripture, revealing God’s compassionate nature and His desire for fellowship. It is a timeless reminder that while God is unchangeable in His character, His active relationship with humanity is often responsive to human repentance and obedience. The call resonates deeply for all generations: when humanity sincerely seeks God, He always responds by drawing near.

For example, when believers experience spiritual stagnation or distance from God, Zechariah 1:3 encourages a renewed turning to Him through repentance, prayer, and devotion, confident that His promised presence and blessings will follow. It reminds us that God does not abandon those who earnestly seek Him but eagerly awaits their return to active fellowship.