Zechariah 14 2

Zechariah 14:2 kjv

For 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.

Zechariah 14:2 nkjv

For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Zechariah 14:2 niv

I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Zechariah 14:2 esv

For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Zechariah 14:2 nlt

I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city.

Zechariah 14 verses

Zechariah 14 2 Meaning

Zechariah 14:2 describes a future, divinely orchestrated event where all nations will gather to battle against Jerusalem. This assault will lead to the city's capture, the plundering of homes, the desecration of women, and the partial exile of its inhabitants. Crucially, the verse ends by stating that a remnant of the people will not be completely cut off or annihilated from the city, signifying a divinely purposed preservation amidst devastation. This serves as a grim prelude to God's ultimate intervention and the establishment of His kingdom.

Zechariah 14 2 Context

Zechariah chapter 14 describes "the day of the Lord" (Zech 14:1), a climactic period encompassing both divine judgment and salvation. It is an eschatological prophecy focused on the end times. The immediate preceding verse (Zech 14:1) foretells the division of spoils taken from Jerusalem, setting the stage for the catastrophic events detailed in verse 2. Historically, Jerusalem had faced numerous sieges and conquests, yet this prophecy describes a unique, unprecedented, and final assault by all nations. It sets the stage for YHWH's dramatic intervention to defend the city and establish His reign (Zech 14:3-9), distinguishing it from past historical events and pointing to a future fulfillment beyond previous exiles or destructions.

Zechariah 14 2 Word analysis

• For I will gather (כִּ֤י אָסַפְתִּי֙ - ki asafeti):
  • אֲסַפְתִּי֙ (asafeti) - "I have gathered/will gather." This is the Qal perfect first common singular form, signifying a completed action or a future action presented as certain by divine decree. The "I" refers explicitly to YHWH, highlighting His sovereign control over history and nations. He orchestrates this global event.
  • Significance: Not a human initiative, but a divine purpose. This gathering is not accidental but part of God's redemptive plan, serving to bring about ultimate judgment and then salvation. It underscores God's omnipotence, using even wicked nations as His instruments.
• all the nations (אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֮ - et-kol-hagoyim):
  • כָּל־ (kol) - "all," "every." This emphasizes the comprehensive scope of the attack.
  • הַגּוֹיִם֮ (hagoyim) - "the nations" or "the Gentiles." In the biblical context, this often refers to non-Israelite peoples. The article "ha" specifies these nations are known and distinct, collectively coming against Jerusalem.
  • Significance: This indicates a truly universal alliance, not just a regional power. It is an ultimate challenge to God's chosen city. This contrasts with earlier invasions by specific empires like Babylon or Rome; it’s a global consortium.
• against Jerusalem (עַל־יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם - al-Yerushalaim):
  • יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yerushalaim) - Jerusalem. The city is the specific target, representing God's earthly dwelling, His people, and the center of His future kingdom.
  • Significance: Jerusalem is consistently at the heart of eschatological prophecy, often facing attacks before divine vindication. Its fate is intrinsically linked to God's ultimate plans.
• to battle (לַמִּלְחָמָה - lammilchamah):
  • מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) - "war," "battle." A clear intent of military conflict.
  • Significance: This is not just a skirmish but a full-scale, aggressive military campaign.
• and the city shall be taken (וְנִלְכְּדָה֙ הָעִ֔יר - venilkeda ha'ir):
  • נִלְכְּדָה֙ (nilkeda) - "shall be taken," "captured," "conquered." Nifal perfect of "lakad." This expresses the certainty of the city's capture despite its spiritual significance.
  • Significance: It highlights the dire reality of judgment and the temporary triumph of the enemies. This is a moment of severe testing for God's people.
• and the houses plundered (וְנִשַּׁלּ֣וּ הַבָּתִּ֔ים - venishlu habatim):
  • נִשַּׁלּ֣וּ (nishalu) - "shall be plundered," "stripped," "robbed." Nifal perfect of "nashal." This suggests the thoroughness of the looting, leaving nothing behind.
  • הַבָּתִּ֔ים (habatim) - "the houses." Specifics the destruction targets private dwellings.
  • Significance: Total disruption of civilian life and personal property.
• and the women ravished (וְהַנָּשִׁים֙ תִּשָּׁגַלְנָ֔ה - vehanashim tishagalnah):
  • תִּשָּׁגַלְנָ֔ה (tishagalnah) - "shall be ravished," "raped," "lie with" (violently). Nifal imperfect of "shagal." This is a euphemism for sexual violence.
  • Significance: A horrific depiction of war's cruelty and the deepest humiliation inflicted upon the conquered, indicating a complete breakdown of societal order and protection. It's often used in prophetic judgments as a dire consequence of siege (e.g., Isa 13:16).
• and half of the city shall go into captivity (וְיָצָא֙ חֲצִי הָעִיר֙ בַּגּוֹלָ֔ה - veyatsa chatsi ha'ir bagolah):
  • חֲצִי (chatsi) - "half." A precise proportion, not the entire population.
  • גּוֹלָה (golah) - "captivity," "exile." The state of being carried away from one's homeland.
  • Significance: While devastating, the "half" implies a partial judgment. Not total annihilation.
• but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city (וְיֶתֶר֙ הָעָ֣ם לֹא יִכָּרֵ֣ת מִן הָעִ֔יר - veyeter ha'am lo yikaret min ha'ir):
  • יֶתֶר֙ (yeter) - "rest," "remnant."
  • לֹא יִכָּרֵ֣ת (lo yikaret) - "shall not be cut off," "not utterly destroyed." Nifal imperfect of "karat." The verb "karat" means "to cut off, to destroy." The negation here is crucial.
  • Significance: This phrase is key to understanding God's ultimate plan. Despite severe judgment, a faithful remnant remains in the city. This points to divine preservation and is a promise of hope for future restoration and redemption, anticipating the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom. It provides a theological boundary to the impending devastation.

Zechariah 14 2 Bonus section

The seemingly contradictory elements of God gathering nations against His chosen city, only to then prevent its complete destruction, highlight a central theme of God's redemptive plan: He uses human sin and global conflicts to bring about His perfect will. The judgment described is not arbitrary; it is a just consequence, possibly for spiritual unfaithfulness or as a test before ultimate vindication. This prophetic passage serves as a powerful warning of the gravity of the Day of the Lord, while simultaneously offering hope through the preservation of a remnant. This motif has resonated throughout history, providing comfort that God always maintains a people for Himself, even through extreme trials. This verse finds a conceptual parallel in the tribulations described in the New Testament concerning the end times, suggesting a grand, divinely permitted, period of immense suffering before the glorious return of Christ and His reign. The exact timing of this event, whether before, during, or after a specific period of tribulation, remains a point of scholarly discussion, but its inevitability and God's sovereign control are clear.

Zechariah 14 2 Commentary

Zechariah 14:2 provides a chilling depiction of an eschatological invasion of Jerusalem, uniquely orchestrated by God Himself. The divine "I will gather" (YHWH) asserts His ultimate sovereignty, demonstrating that even the wicked actions of nations are within His providential plan for judgment and redemption. This isn't merely a historical event but a future climactic conflict involving "all the nations," underscoring its universal significance and unprecedented nature. The city's capture, plunder, and the atrocities of war—sexual violence and partial exile—represent the extreme suffering and humiliation Israel will face, highlighting the severity of God's wrath and allowing the enemies to temporarily prevail. This desolation, however, serves a greater purpose in preparing for the Day of the Lord's full intervention. The concluding phrase, "the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city," is paramount. It introduces the motif of the faithful remnant, a consistent theme in biblical prophecy (e.g., Isa 10, Joel 2). Even amidst the harshest judgment, God preserves a core group, preventing total destruction. This promise ensures the continuity of His people and sets the stage for the dramatic salvation and the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom, detailed in the subsequent verses of Zechariah 14. This temporary, yet severe, judgment purifies and prepares Israel for God's ultimate glorious rule.