Zechariah 14:11 kjv
And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
Zechariah 14:11 nkjv
The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
Zechariah 14:11 niv
It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
Zechariah 14:11 esv
And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.
Zechariah 14:11 nlt
And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed.
Zechariah 14 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 48:35 | "And the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD Is There." | God's permanent indwelling and new identity for Zion. |
| Rev 21:3-4 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man... and death shall be no more." | New Jerusalem, end of sorrow and pain. |
| Is 60:20 | "Your sun shall no more go down... for the LORD will be your everlasting light." | Perpetual divine light, everlasting joy. |
| Joel 3:17 | "Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it." | Holiness, purity, and security from foreign intrusion. |
| Is 52:1 | "For there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean." | Jerusalem's future purity and security. |
| Is 65:19 | "No more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress." | End of sorrow and suffering. |
| Jer 32:37 | "And I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety." | Return from exile, permanent security. |
| Ezek 34:28 | "And they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid." | Secure dwelling under the true Shepherd. |
| Zech 8:4-5 | "Old men and old women shall again sit... and boys and girls playing in its streets." | Restoration, peace, and demographic growth. |
| Mic 4:7 | "And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore." | Perpetual Messianic reign from Zion. |
| Is 4:5-6 | "For over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade... and for shelter." | Divine protection over Zion. |
| Ps 125:1-2 | "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people forever." | God's everlasting protection of His people. |
| Zeph 3:13 | "They shall pasture and lie down, with none to make them afraid." | Security and peaceful existence for the remnant. |
| Jer 23:6 | "In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely." | Messianic era of security and salvation. |
| Is 32:18 | "My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings." | Enduring peace and stability for God's people. |
| Is 62:1-7 | "You shall be called My Delight Is in Her... Your land shall be married." | Jerusalem's full restoration, glory, and prosperity. |
| Rev 22:3 | "No longer will there be any curse." | Ultimate removal of all curses in New Creation. |
| Dan 7:27 | "And his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom." | The eternal, universal kingdom of God. |
| Heb 12:22-24 | "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." | Access to the spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem. |
| Is 11:9 | "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain." | Peace and absence of harm in the Messianic era. |
| Amos 9:15 | "I will plant them on their own land, and they shall never again be uprooted." | Permanent habitation, end of exile and displacement. |
| Isa 66:22 | "As the new heavens and the new earth... so shall your offspring and your name remain." | Everlasting nature of God's renewed people and dwelling. |
Zechariah 14 verses
Zechariah 14 11 Meaning
Zechariah 14:11 portrays a future state for Jerusalem marked by permanent habitation, absolute security, and a definitive end to all forms of destruction or abandonment. Following the great eschatological conflict and divine intervention described in the preceding verses, this verse assures that the city will never again be subject to the divine "ban" (ḥērem) of utter destruction, desolation, or an inescapable curse. Instead, it will be continuously inhabited and protected, signifying an era of unprecedented peace and stability under the direct rule and presence of God. It marks a complete reversal of Jerusalem's long history of vulnerability and suffering.
Zechariah 14 11 Context
Zechariah chapter 14 describes the dramatic culmination of God's plan for Jerusalem and the nations on the "Day of the Lord." It opens with all nations gathered against Jerusalem, leading to its partial capture. This sets the stage for God's direct, cataclysmic intervention: the splitting of the Mount of Olives, the flowing of living waters from Jerusalem, and divine judgment upon the attacking nations through plague. The chapter transitions into a vision of God's universal reign from Jerusalem, where unique natural conditions and universal holiness prevail. Zechariah 14:11 is positioned immediately after these judgments and the establishment of divine sovereignty. It promises that following these tumultuous events, Jerusalem will finally experience perpetual peace, security, and an unbroken existence, entirely reversing its long and often tragic history of conquest, destruction, and exile. The promise of "no more utter destruction" resonates powerfully with the historical context of the post-exilic community, which had returned to a still vulnerable Jerusalem, bearing fresh memories of its utter devastation by Babylon.
Zechariah 14 11 Word analysis
- And people shall dwell: The Hebrew term is וְיָֽשְׁבוּ (və·yāš·ḇū), derived from יָשַׁב (yashav), meaning to sit, dwell, settle. This emphasizes permanent inhabitation and stable residency, as opposed to temporary encampment or exile. It promises an end to desolation and continuous population within Jerusalem.
- in it: This direct pronoun unequivocally refers to Jerusalem. Historically, Jerusalem has experienced periods of complete abandonment or significant depopulation. This promise asserts its continuous, unbroken existence.
- and there shall be no more utter destruction: This is the most profound part of the verse. The Hebrew is וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶה־עוֹד֙ חֵ֔רֶם (wə·lō-yi·hyeh-‘ōwd ḥe·rem).
- No more (lō-‘ōwd) indicates a final, irreversible cessation of a previous state.
- Utter destruction (חֵרֶם, ḥērem) is a critical theological term. It refers to something devoted or consecrated to God for utter destruction, often involving complete eradication of an enemy or the absolute exclusion of something impure. Historically, cities and peoples could be put under the ḥērem as an act of divine judgment (e.g., Jericho in Josh 6). Here, it signifies that Jerusalem itself, once subject to God's disciplinary judgment leading to destruction and exile, will never again face such a fate or be utterly cut off from Him. It removes the curse of ultimate abandonment and annihilation.
- but Jerusalem: Explicitly reiterates the subject, reaffirming that these promises apply directly to the literal and symbolic city, the center of God's redemptive plan.
- shall dwell safely: The Hebrew is לָבֶ֖טַח תֵּשֵֽׁב (laḇeṭaḥ tē·šêḇ).
- Dwell (tē·šêḇ), again from yashav, reiterates the theme of stable residency.
- Safely (לָבֶ֖טַח, laḇeṭaḥ) means in security, confidently, without fear, unmolested. It denotes an enduring state of peace and freedom from all threats—both external attack and internal turmoil—guaranteed by divine protection. It encompasses a holistic sense of well-being and invulnerability.
Words-group analysis
- "And people shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction": This phrase complexly contrasts Jerusalem's historical cycles of destruction and depopulation with a future of permanent habitation and absolute exemption from the curse of ḥērem. It speaks to both the physical presence of inhabitants and the spiritual removal of divine judgment that had previously allowed its devastation.
- "but Jerusalem shall dwell safely": This second part of the verse acts as a powerful affirmation and further qualification of the initial promise. It emphasizes not just the existence of inhabitants or the absence of ḥērem, but the nature of that existence—one characterized by unshakeable security and profound peace, guaranteed by God himself. This twin promise guarantees perpetual settlement and ultimate divine protection for the city.
Zechariah 14 11 Bonus section
- This verse represents a fulfillment of ancient covenant promises of security and undisturbed dwelling (e.g., Lev 26:5; Jer 23:6), extended to Jerusalem on an unprecedented eschatological scale.
- The "utter destruction" (ḥērem) concept is particularly significant. While earthly powers repeatedly laid waste to Jerusalem, the prophet asserts that a divine, final pronouncement of ḥērem—total abandonment to destruction from God Himself—will be permanently rescinded. This makes the city truly indefensible only by God.
- The repetitive use of the verb "dwell" (יָשַׁב, yashav) highlights a fundamental desire for permanence and stability for a people often uprooted. Paired with "safely" (laḇeṭaḥ), it articulates God's intent to provide both physical presence and existential peace.
- While initially addressed to the returned exiles, this prophecy carries a layered meaning that points toward the spiritual reality of the Church (as the true people of God) and the ultimate future state described in Revelation, where the heavenly Jerusalem truly knows no destruction or curse.
Zechariah 14 11 Commentary
Zechariah 14:11 provides a climactic assurance within an apocalyptic vision, promising Jerusalem a future far surpassing any past or present reality. Following intense global conflict and divine judgment on hostile nations, God establishes His reign from Jerusalem, culminating in the city's radical transformation. This verse guarantees Jerusalem's perpetual, secure, and blessed habitation, decisively ending the pattern of destruction, siege, and desolation that defined much of its history. The cessation of "utter destruction" (ḥērem) signals that God's punitive judgments and any subsequent total abandonment of the city are forever lifted. This promise foreshadows the ultimate, eternal peace and security realized fully in the New Jerusalem of the new creation, where God's presence eliminates all threats, curse, and sorrow, providing His people with everlasting, secure dwelling.