Zechariah 13 8

Zechariah 13:8 kjv

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

Zechariah 13:8 nkjv

And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the LORD, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one?third shall be left in it:

Zechariah 13:8 niv

In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.

Zechariah 13:8 esv

In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.

Zechariah 13:8 nlt

Two-thirds of the people in the land
will be cut off and die," says the LORD.
"But one-third will be left in the land.

Zechariah 13 verses

Zechariah 13 8 Meaning

This verse describes the divine protection over a remnant of God's people during a period of great sifting and purging. It foretells that two-thirds of the population in the land will be cut off and die, while one-third will be preserved. This remnant will then undergo further refinement, being passed through a fire of divine judgment to be purified, becoming God's true people who call on His name.

Zechariah 13 8 Context

Zechariah chapter 13 focuses on purification and restoration, setting the stage for future blessings. It addresses the spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry prevalent in Israel, predicting a cleansing that will remove false prophets and idolatrous practices. Verse 8 specifically describes a severe sifting within the nation. The immediate context is God's impending judgment that will dramatically reduce the population, sparing only a fraction. This reduced group will then be further refined through trials, ultimately becoming a holy people who truly call upon the LORD. Historically, this speaks to periods of purging in Israel's history, and eschatologically, it points to the end-times tribulation where a remnant will be saved and purified before the full establishment of God's kingdom.

Zechariah 13 8 Word analysis

• וְהָיָה (və·hā·yəh): And it shall be/come to pass. Indicates a future event following a sequence of prophecy.
• בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl): in all. Denotes the entirety of a condition or location.
• הָאָרֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ): the land. Refers to the land of Israel.
• נְאֻם־ (nə·’um): the oracle/declaration/saying of. Signifies an authoritative divine utterance.
• יְהוָה (Yə·hô·wāh): Yahweh. The personal covenant name of God.
• שְׁתֵּי (šə·tê): two. Denotes a specific quantity.
• חֲצָאִים (ḥă·ṣā·’îm): thirds. Indicates a portion of a whole.
• יִכָּרֵתוּ (yiḵ·ā·rê·ṯū): shall be cut off/eradicate. Implies a decisive end, often through death or exile.
• וְיָמֻתוּ (wə·yā·mû·ṯū): and shall die. Direct statement of mortality resulting from the cutting off.
• וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (wə·haš·šə·lî·ṯîṯ): and the third. Refers to the remaining portion.
• תּוֹתֶרֶת (ṯō·ṯe·reṯ): remainder/what is left over. Highlights the spared remnant.
• בָּהּ (bāh): in her/it. Refers back to the land.
• וּבִֽיַעַרְתִּי (ū·ḇi·ya·‘ar·tî): and I will pass them through. Implies a trial or severe test, like being driven through a process. From ur meaning "to try," "to refine," "to pass through fire."
• אֶת־ (’eṯ): [direct object marker].
• הַשְּׁלִשִׁית (haš·šə·lî·ṯîṯ): the third. Refers again to the remnant.
• בָּאֵשׁ (bā·’êš): through fire. The means of refinement; signifies intense trial and purification.
• וְצָרַפְתִּי (wə·ṣā·rap·tî): and I will refine/assay/smelt. Denotes a process of purification to remove impurities, separating the valuable from the dross.
• אֹתָם (’ō·ṯā): them. Refers to the third part.
• כְּצָרוֹף (kə·ṣā·rōp̄): as refined/smelted. Comparison to the process of metallurgy.
• אֶת־ (’eṯ): [direct object marker].
• הַזָּהָב (haz·zā·hāḇ): the silver. The precious metal being refined.
• וַאֲבַחֲנֵם (wa·’a·ḇă·ḥă·nê): and I will test them. Similar to refine, but emphasizes scrutiny and proven worth.
• כִּבְחֹן (kiḇ·ḥōn): as tried/tested. Like the testing of precious metals.
• אֶת־ (’eṯ): [direct object marker].
• הַזָּהָב (haz·zā·hāḇ): the gold. Another instance of gold representing what is valuable to be purified.
• אֶת־ (’eṯ): [direct object marker].
• הַכֶּסֶף (hák·kɛ·sep̄): the silver. Reinforces the refining imagery.
• אֶת־ (’eṯ): [direct object marker].
• כַּסְפָּם (kas·pām): their silver. Specifically the refined character of the remnant.
• יִקְרָאוּ (yiq·rā·’ū): shall call. Future action of invoking or naming.
• בִשְׁמִי (biš·mî): in my name. Declaring allegiance and reliance on Yahweh.
• וְאָנֹכִי (wə·’ā·nō·ḵî): and I. Emphasizes God's personal action.
• עָנִיתִי (‘ā·nî·ṯî): will answer/respond. God's engagement with their call.
• אֹתָם (’ō·ṯā): them. Refers to the remnant.
• לְעַם־ (lə·‘am): for a people. Their reconstituted identity.
• לְרַחֲמִי (lə·ra·ḥă·mî): my mercy/compassion. God's benevolent regard for them.
• וְאָמַר (wə·’ā·mar): and he/it shall say. Introduces their declaration.
• הוּא (hū): He/It. Referring to God.
• עַמִּי (‘am·mî): my people. God's declaration of them as His own.
• וְהֵם (wə·hê): and they. Referring to the remnant.
• יֹאמְרוּ (yō·mə·rū): shall say. Their response.
• יְהוָה (Yə·hô·wāh): Yahweh. They will identify God by His name.
• אֱלֹהָי (’ĕ·lō·hāy): my God. A possessive claim of relationship.

Phrase Group Analysis:

• "Two thirds in the land shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left in it." (בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם־יְהוָה שְׁתֵּי חֲצָאִים יִכָּרֵתוּ וְיָמֻתוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית תּוֹתֶרֶת בָּהּ): This stark numerical contrast highlights a divine judgment that decimates the population, leaving a minority. The "cutting off" implies severe, potentially fatal, judgment or expulsion.
• "and I will pass the third through fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them as gold is tested." (וּבִֽיַעַרְתִּי אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בָּאֵשׁ וְצָרַפְתִּי אֹתָם כְּצָרוֹף אֶת־הַזָּהָב וַאֲבַחֲנֵם כִּבְחֹן אֶת־הַזָּהָב אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף): This potent metaphor drawn from metallurgy signifies a period of intense spiritual testing and purification. The "fire" is the instrument, and the purpose is to purge away dross (sin, impurities) leaving behind pure gold and silver – the character of God's faithful remnant. "Passing through" suggests an active, often harsh, experience.
• "They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’" (יִקְרָאוּ בִשְׁמִי וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶה אֹתָם לְעַם־רַחֲמִי וְאָמַר הֵם עַמִּי וְהֵם יֹאמְרוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי): This describes the transformed relationship after purification. The remnant actively seeks God ("call on my name"), God responds graciously ("I will answer them"), claims them as His own through mercy ("They are my people"), and they fully embrace Him as their God ("The LORD is my God"). This signifies a restored, intimate, covenantal bond.

Zechariah 13 8 Bonus section

The imagery of the "refiner's fire" (צרף, tsaraph) and testing (בָּחַן, bachan) precious metals was well understood in ancient times. Smelting silver and gold required heating the ore to extremely high temperatures to separate the impurities from the pure metal. The refiner would watch the molten metal closely until it reflected his own image. This reflects the concept that God’s refining process allows His image to be restored in His people, through trials that purify their character and devotion. The statistics of two-thirds being cut off and one-third remaining mirrors severe decimations in Israel's history, such as the Babylonian exile, but it is often interpreted eschatologically, referring to a time of unparalleled tribulation before the final establishment of God's kingdom, echoing prophetic language in books like Ezekiel and Isaiah regarding end-time judgments and the preservation of a holy remnant.

Zechariah 13 8 Commentary

Zechariah 13:8 is a powerful prophecy of judgment and redemption, illustrating God's unfailing commitment to a faithful remnant. The overwhelming majority of those in the land will be judged and removed, a severe consequence for sin and rebellion. However, a small portion, one-third, will be preserved, not by their own merit, but as God's sovereign choice. This remnant then faces a "refiner's fire," a period of intense suffering and testing designed to purify them from the dross of their iniquities. This is not annihilation, but a deliberate process to make them suitable for God. The ultimate outcome is a purified people who cry out to God, and God, in turn, embraces them, acknowledging them as His, while they joyfully declare Him as their God. This transformation speaks to both historical cycles of judgment and restoration for Israel, and most profoundly, to the redemptive work of Christ in saving and purifying a people for Himself, often referred to as the "remnant." The cleansing is severe, but it leads to intimacy and restored communion with God.

• Practical application: Difficult trials often serve to reveal and refine our faith, driving us to rely more fully on God's promises.