Zechariah 14 3

Zechariah 14:3 kjv

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Zechariah 14:3 nkjv

Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.

Zechariah 14:3 niv

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.

Zechariah 14:3 esv

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle.

Zechariah 14:3 nlt

Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past.

Zechariah 14 verses

Zechariah 14 3 Meaning

This verse describes God going forth as a mighty warrior to battle against the nations that attacked Jerusalem. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which will be split in two, creating a vast valley. This signifies a decisive, divine intervention and victory for His people, a direct manifestation of His power.

Zechariah 14 3 Context

Zechariah 14 describes the ultimate triumph of God over His enemies and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. It focuses on a future day of the Lord when Jerusalem will be central to global worship. Chapter 14 details a future war where nations will attack Jerusalem, but God will intervene powerfully. This intervention involves a dramatic geographical event on the Mount of Olives, signaling a decisive divine victory and the purification of the land. The preceding verses in Zechariah have dealt with visions and prophecies concerning the rebuilding of the Temple and the future restoration of Israel. This final chapter serves as an apocalyptic climax to the prophetic message. Historically, the audience of Zechariah was the post-exilic Jewish community returning from Babylon, for whom the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple was a pressing concern. The prophet sought to encourage them with visions of future glory and God's ultimate sovereignty.

Zechariah 14 3 Word Analysis

• וְיָצָא (wə·yā·ṣā'): "and He will go forth."

  • Implies an active, initiating movement of God.
  • Echoes God going forth to battle in the past (Exodus 15:3; Psalm 68:7).

• יְהוָה (YHWH): "The LORD."

  • The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and promises to His people.

• כַּצְּבִי (ka·ṣ·ṣə·ḇî): "like the morning mist" or "like the dawn."

  • Likened to a powerful, illuminating, and revealing presence.
  • Suggests suddenness and overwhelming brightness.

• צְבָאוֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ): "of hosts."

  • Refers to heavenly armies, signifying God's supreme authority and power over all forces.

• לַמִּלְחָמָה (la·mil·ḥā·māh): "to war" or "for battle."

  • Highlights God as an active participant in a conflict against hostile nations.

• וְרַגְלָיו (wə·ra·ḡə·lāw): "and His feet."

  • Physical manifestation of God's presence and intervention on Earth.

• תַּעֲמֹדְנָה (ta·‘ă·mō·ḏə·nāh): "shall stand."

  • Signifies a stable, firm, and victorious presence.

• עַל־הַר (‘al-har): "upon the mountain."

  • Mountains are often associated with God's presence and power (Exodus 19:3; Psalm 24:3).

• הַזַּיִת (haz·zay·yiṯ): "of Olives."

  • The Mount of Olives, a significant location in biblical history and future prophecies.

• הַמִּמִּקְדָּם (ham·miq·daṁ): "which is before Jerusalem on the east."

  • Pinpoints the geographical location of this divine event.

• וְנִבְקַע (wə·niḇ·qa‘): "and shall be split apart."

  • A dramatic geological event signifying divine power and division.

• הַר־הַזַּיִת (har-haz·zay·yiṯ): "the Mount of Olives."

  • Reinforces the specific mountain involved.

• חֶצְיוֹ (ḥeṣ·yōw): "its middle."

  • Indicates a splitting through the center.

• הַקַּדְמוֹנִי (haq·qaḏ·mō·nî): "the eastern."

  • Specifies the direction of the split.

• מִקֶּדֶם (miq·qe·ḏem): "from the east."

  • Further emphasizes the direction.

• וְהַיָּם (wə·hay·yām): "and the sea."

  • Likely refers to a body of water created by the split.

• הַצָּפוֹן (haṣ·ṣā·p̄w·nî): "the north."

  • Describes the orientation of the new valley's opening.

• וְחֶצְיוֹ (wə·ḥeṣ·yōw): "and its middle."

  • Another instance indicating the division.

• הַקָּדִים (haq·qa·ḏîm): "toward the east."

  • Specifies the extent of the valley.

• וְחֶצְיוֹ (wə·ḥeṣ·yōw): "and its middle."

  • Again, emphasizing the magnitude of the geographical event.

• אֶל־הַיָּם (’el-hay·yām): "toward the sea."

  • Indicates the direction of the valley toward a body of water, likely the Mediterranean.

• הַבַּיִת (hab·bay·yiṯ): "the Valley."

  • Refers to a new, vast geographical formation.

• Group analysis: "God's divine intervention in battle"

  • The phrase "And the LORD will go forth like a warrior" (וְיָצָא יְהוָה כַּצְּבִי לַמִּלְחָמָה) establishes God as the active agent in the coming conflict, not as a passive observer, but as a mighty champion. This is powerfully reinforced by "to war" (לַמִּלְחָמָה). The comparison to "like the morning mist" (כַּצְּבִי) suggests the overwhelming and perhaps sudden manifestation of His presence. Combined with "of hosts" (צְבָאוֹת), it portrays God as leading celestial armies.

• Group analysis: "God's presence and physical manifestation"

  • The specific mention of "His feet" (וְרַגְלָיו) "shall stand" (תַּעֲמֹדְנָה) upon the "Mount of Olives" (עַל־הַר הַזַּיִת) signifies the physical reality of God's presence and dominion over the earth, particularly in His holy city. This concrete action grounds the divine intervention in a tangible, geographical event.

• Group analysis: "The splitting of the Mount of Olives"

  • The descriptions "and the Mount of Olives shall be split apart" (וְנִבְקַע הַר־הַזַּיִת), "its middle toward the east and toward the west" (חֶצְיוֹ מִקֶּדֶם וְחֶצְיוֹ הַקָּדִים), and the creation of "a very wide valley" (וְחֶלֶק גָּדוֹל) indicate a cataclysmic geological event. The valley extends "toward the north and toward the south" (צָפוֹנָה וְחֶצְיוֹ נֹכַח הַיָּם), signifying a monumental geographical alteration as a direct result of God's arrival and victory.

Zechariah 14 3 Bonus Section

This passage is consistently understood as a depiction of Christ's second coming. The physical splitting of the Mount of Olives is often interpreted not just literally, but as representing the upheaval and transformation that accompanies Christ's authoritative reign. The vast valley created symbolizes the accessibility of God's presence and kingdom, no longer separated by insurmountable barriers. It also signifies a place of judgment and division between those who are for God and those who are against Him. The verse ties into a broader theme in Zechariah and other prophets where God is depicted as a warrior king who personally intervenes to save and vindicate His people. The immediate context for Zechariah himself, living in a time of rebuilding, points towards future vindication, but the apocalyptic scope clearly extends to the final establishment of God's kingdom.

Zechariah 14 3 Commentary

Zechariah 14:3 is a powerful declaration of God's ultimate victory and active participation in the defense of Jerusalem. The imagery of God going forth "like a warrior" with "the morning mist" is striking; it suggests a rapid, bright, and irresistible manifestation of divine power. The phrase "of hosts" emphasizes that He commands infinite heavenly armies, making the battle ultimately His. The literal standing of God's feet upon the Mount of Olives, followed by its dramatic splitting, is a dramatic and vivid metaphor for His presence and the disruptive force of His judgment and salvation. This geological upheaval creates a great valley, symbolizing a new pathway, a deliverance and escape route for His people, and a permanent alteration of the landscape due to God's direct intervention. This event foreshadows Christ's ultimate reign from Jerusalem, where His victory over sin and death will be unequivocally established, transforming the spiritual and literal landscape for all eternity. It underscores the certainty of God's protective and redemptive actions for His people against all opposition.