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 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zec 14:1-2 | "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle..." | Future judgment of nations |
| Joel 3:1-2 | "For behold, in those days and in that time, when I restore..." | Gathering nations for judgment |
| Jeremiah 23:1 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my..." | Judgment on false shepherds |
| Jeremiah 30:10 | "For I am with you to save you," declares the LORD. "Though I..." | God's promise of salvation |
| Jeremiah 30:11 | "For I will make an end of all the nations among which I have..." | God's dealing with nations |
| Jeremiah 50:17 | "Israel is a scattered sheep the lions have driven away..." | Israel's scattering |
| Jeremiah 50:33 | "Israel is oppressed and that those who oppress them do not..." | Oppression of Israel |
| Ezekiel 36:1-5 | "And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel..." | God's judgment on oppressors |
| Ezekiel 38:8 | "After many days you will be mustered; in the latter years..." | Gog's invasion |
| Ezekiel 39:27 | "When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them..." | Regathering of Israel |
| Micah 4:3 | "He will judge between many peoples and will rebuke strong..." | Future peace |
| Micah 4:11-13 | "Now many nations are gathered against you, saying, 'Let her..." | Nations gathered against Zion |
| Zephaniah 3:8 | "Therefore wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day..." | Waiting for the Day of the LORD |
| Zephaniah 3:19 | "Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors..." | God dealing with oppressors |
| Matthew 24:29 | "Immediately after the tribulation of those days..." | Signs of the end times |
| Luke 21:24 | "...and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles..." | Gentiles trampling Jerusalem |
| Revelation 11:2 | "but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that..." | Outer court given to Gentiles |
| Revelation 13:7 | "Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer..." | Beast making war on saints |
| Revelation 14:8 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has made all nations..." | Judgment on Babylon |
| Revelation 17:16 | "And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate..." | Nations hating the prostitute |
| Revelation 19:11 | "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!" | Christ's return |
| John 11:48 | "...if we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him..." | Concern about Jesus' popularity |
| Acts 1:6 | "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will..." | Question about restoring Israel |
Zechariah 14 verses
Zechariah 14 2 Meaning
Zechariah 14:2 describes a future event where Jerusalem will be divided and plundered during a time of war and great tribulation, before God intervenes and His full kingdom is established. This verse is a prophecy concerning a future judgment upon the city.
Zechariah 14 2 Context
Zechariah 14, the final chapter of the book, describes a cataclysmic event: the Day of the Lord, which culminates in God's decisive victory and the establishment of His reign in Jerusalem. Chapter 14 begins with God gathering all nations to battle against Jerusalem. This sets the stage for a time of intense conflict. Verse 2 specifically focuses on the aftermath of this initial gathering, detailing the division and plundering of the city, a dire moment for its inhabitants before God's ultimate intervention. This prophecy is part of a larger eschatological vision concerning the future of Israel and the nations, pointing to both judgment and salvation. The immediate historical context for Zechariah would have been the post-exilic period, a time of rebuilding and anticipation of future fulfillment of God's promises.
Zechariah 14 2 Word Analysis
- וְהָיָה (və·hā·yāh): "and it shall come to pass" or "and it shall be." This common conjunction introduces a future event or consequence.
- כִּי (kî): "for," "that," "because." Here it introduces the reason or the substance of the statement.
- אֶת־ (’et-): A direct object marker.
- כָּל־ (kāl-): "all." Emphasizes the totality of the nations being gathered.
- הַגּוֹיִם (ha·gō·yîm): "the nations." Refers to the Gentile nations, often viewed in opposition to Israel in the Old Testament.
- אֶל־ (’el-): "to," "toward."
- יְרוּשָׁלִַם (Yə·rû·šā·lêm): "Jerusalem." The central focus of the prophecy.
- לַמִּלְחָמָה (lam·mil·ḥā·māh): "for battle," "to war." Indicates hostile intent and action against Jerusalem.
- וְנִשְׁמָה (wə·niš·mâ): "and the city shall be taken" or "plundered." The niphal conjugation suggests a passive action being done to the city, indicating it will be captured and looted. This word conveys devastation and conquest.
- וְחָצְבָה (wə·ḥā·ṣə·ḇâ): "and the houses shall be plundered." Also in the niphal conjugation, implying the houses are taken by force or divided among the conquerors.
- וְנָשִׁים (wə·nā·šîm): "and women."
- שְׁכוּבָה (šə·ḵû·ḇâ): "lying down" or "ravished." The Qal passive participle here suggests violation or sexual assault, highlighting the brutal nature of the conquest.
- וְיָצְאוּ (wə·yā·ṣə·’û): "and half of the city shall go out" or "escape." The hiphil conjugation of the verb "to go out" with a partitive min implies a division or departure.
- חֲצִי־ (ḥă·ṣî-): "half."
- הָעִיר (hā·‘îr): "the city."
- לְגָלָה (lə·ḡā·lâ): "into captivity" or "for exile." Indicates a portion of the population being taken away.
- וְיָצְאוּ (wə·yā·ṣə·’û): "and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city."
- שְׁאֵרִית (šə·’ê·riṯ): "the remnant" or "the rest." Refers to those who remain.
- שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם (šə·’ê·riṯ hā·‘ām): "the remnant of the people."
- לֹא־יִכָּרֵת (lō·yik·kā·rēṯ): "shall not be cut off." This implies that although there will be devastation, a portion of the people will survive and not be entirely eliminated from the city.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "all nations against Jerusalem to battle": This signifies a unified, global opposition against God's chosen city, underscoring the severity of the coming conflict as described in prophetic literature concerning the Day of the Lord.
- "the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished": This graphic description highlights the extreme violence and dehumanization that will accompany the conquest. It speaks of the utter ruin and violation that a besieged city would face.
- "half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city": This shows a division within Jerusalem’s population. While a significant portion will suffer displacement and captivity, a remnant will remain, spared from complete annihilation, awaiting God's intervention.
Zechariah 14 2 Bonus Section
The imagery of half the city going into exile and the other half remaining has been interpreted in various ways. Some see it as a literal division of the populace and the city's territory. Others understand it symbolically, representing a great purification and sifting process that will occur within Jerusalem before its final redemption. The intensity of the described suffering, especially the plundering of houses and ravishing of women, echoes the brutalities of ancient warfare and serves to emphasize the severity of the impending tribulation as a prelude to the glorious kingdom. This verse is foundational to understanding the future of Jerusalem and its significance in God's redemptive plan for the earth.
Zechariah 14 2 Commentary
Zechariah 14:2 paints a grim picture of Jerusalem's plight before divine deliverance. It foretells a future conquest where Jerusalem will be militarily overcome. The enemy forces will take the city, pillage its homes, and commit atrocities against its women, indicating a period of extreme suffering and judgment. However, this verse also contains a note of preserved hope. While half the population will be taken captive, the remaining portion of the people will not be eradicated. This foreshadows a crucial moment of tribulation for Jerusalem, immediately preceding God's decisive intervention described in later verses of the chapter, when He will personally go forth and fight for His people, leading to ultimate victory and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. This dual aspect of judgment and preservation is a recurring theme in Old Testament prophecy.