Zechariah 9 17

Zechariah 9:17 kjv

For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

Zechariah 9:17 nkjv

For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.

Zechariah 9:17 niv

How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

Zechariah 9:17 esv

For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

Zechariah 9:17 nlt

How wonderful and beautiful they will be!
The young men will thrive on abundant grain,
and the young women will flourish on new wine.

Zechariah 9 verses

Zechariah 9 17 Meaning

Zechariah 9:17 extols the transcendent goodness and beauty of God, declaring them to be the profound source of the abundant physical and spiritual blessings promised for the Messianic era. It portrays a time of extraordinary flourishing and vitality for God's people, where essential provisions like grain and new wine, representing all of God's sustaining provisions, will imbue the young with vibrant strength and vigor. This verse is a celebration of divine favor manifesting in palpable prosperity and youthful exuberance within a restored community.

Zechariah 9 17 Context

Zechariah 9:17 appears within the broader context of Zechariah chapters 9-14, a section often referred to as "The Burden of the Word of the Lord." This prophetic oracle shifts from earlier visions concerning the temple rebuilding to focus on Israel's future, particularly the advent of the Messiah, His triumph, and the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem.

Verse 17 follows immediately after Zechariah 9:16, which speaks of the Lord saving His people "as the flock of His people" and shining brightly on them. The preceding verses (Zech 9:9-10) vividly describe the coming of the Messiah as a righteous and humble King bringing salvation and peace, who will establish an extensive dominion. This Messianic reign signifies the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promises, contrasting with past judgment and desolation.

The historical context is post-exilic Judah, a time when the returned exiles faced hardship, discouragement, and vulnerability. Zechariah's prophecies served to offer divine assurance and hope, reminding them of God's ultimate plan for restoration, abundance, and the glorious reign of His chosen King. Zechariah 9:17, therefore, paints a picture of this coming prosperity and the vibrant life that will characterize the people under God's gracious rule, a direct result of the nature of the divine King and the outpouring of divine favor. It promises a reversal of fortunes, from scarcity and weakness to abundance and vigor.

Zechariah 9 17 Word analysis

• For how great is his goodness (מַה טּוּבוֹ – mah ṭu·voh):

  • "How great is" (מַה – mah): A strong interjection expressing superlative astonishment or affirmation. It's not a question but a rhetorical exclamation, "Oh, the greatness of..." or "Indeed, how great..."
  • "goodness" (טוּב – ṭov): In Hebrew, ṭov is a rich term encompassing more than mere moral uprightness; it signifies inherent goodness, pleasantness, beneficence, well-being, prosperity, and everything that is excellent and beneficial. It points to God's generous and benevolent character, which desires and brings about flourishing for His creation. This refers to God's attribute and the manifestation of that attribute.

• and how great is his beauty! (וּמַה יָּפְיֹו – u·mah yaf·yo):

  • "how great is" (וּמַה – u·mah): Again, the same superlative exclamation.
  • "beauty" (יָפִי – yophi): Refers to loveliness, attractiveness, splendor, and perfection. It suggests an aesthetic and moral glory. God's beauty is intrinsic to His being and manifest in His creative and redemptive works. This "beauty" is not superficial but reflects His radiant holiness, wisdom, and perfect harmony, making Him alluring and worthy of worship. It implies the glorious display of His perfections.

• Grain shall make the young men flourish, (דָּגָן יְנוֹבְבוּ בַּחוּרִים – dagan yenovvu vakhurim):

  • "Grain" (דָּגָן – dagan): Refers to all cereal crops, particularly wheat and barley. It is the staple food in the ancient world and thus represents fundamental sustenance, material prosperity, and God's abundant provision.
  • "shall make... flourish" (יְנוֹבְבוּ – yenovvu): This is from the root nub (נוב), which means to produce fruit, grow, yield, sprout. In the Hiphil (causative) stem used here, it means "to cause to sprout," "to make to grow luxuriantly," or "to cause to be full of vigor/strong/bright." The "grain" itself is depicted as the active agent, empowered by God, to bestow this vitality. This indicates an abundant, overflowing provision that actively empowers life.
  • "young men" (בַּחוּרִים – bachurim): Refers to young, energetic, and vital males. They represent the strength, future, and vigor of a community. The flourishing of young men signifies robust health, the continuation of generations, and societal vitality.

• and new wine the virgins. (וְתִירֹשׁ יְבֹלֵל בְּתוּלֹת – v'tirosh yevolel betulot - Note: KJV/ESV's "flourish" applied to virgins is a contextual inference. The Hebrew uses yevolel, related to the previous verb or from balal (בלל) "mingle/mix" perhaps "make fertile/lustrous", sometimes understood as 'sustain', or by some emended to parallel nub meaning to grow. The sense is definitely 'enliven' or 'give vigor'.)

  • "new wine" (תִּירוֹשׁ – tirosh): Refers to freshly pressed grape juice, must, or sweet, unfermented wine. It is a symbol of joy, celebration, luxury, and refreshment, distinct from mature fermented wine. Like grain, it represents a core agricultural blessing.
  • "virgins" (בְּתוּלוֹת – betulot): Young, unmarried women, representing freshness, purity, and another vital segment of society's youth. Their flourishing suggests vibrancy, beauty, fertility, and joy within the community.

Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:

• "For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!": This opening exclamation sets the tone. It establishes that the subsequent blessings are not random occurrences but direct emanations from the very nature of God – His inherent moral and aesthetic perfection, His boundless benevolence and glory. This attribute of God is the ultimate cause and guarantee of the coming prosperity. It implicitly contrasts God's character with any idol or false god, asserting His unique and supreme excellence as the source of life and blessing.

• "Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins": This parallel phrase details the consequences of God's goodness and beauty. It uses two essential agricultural products (grain for sustenance, new wine for joy) to represent complete and abundant provision. The language personifies these provisions, showing them as actively conferring vitality and strength. It speaks of not just survival, but vigorous, joyful, radiant life across all the younger, energetic segments of society. This indicates a period of unparalleled health, fertility, and exuberance, ensuring the growth and flourishing of the people, pointing towards a holistic well-being encompassing physical health, economic prosperity, and communal joy.

Zechariah 9 17 Bonus section

The active role attributed to "grain" and "new wine" in making the youth "flourish" is a striking personification. It suggests that these provisions are not merely passive gifts but imbued with God's power to impart life and vigor. This is a characteristic feature of prophetic literature where the blessings of the Lord are seen to carry intrinsic power.

The contrast between the humble arrival of the King on a donkey (Zech 9:9) and the spectacular blessings in Zech 9:17 is notable. The simplicity of His coming belies the grandeur and abundance of the blessings He ushers in. This aligns with a deeper theological truth that true strength and prosperity come through humility and reliance on God, not through worldly displays of power.

Some interpreters view the "flourishing" not only in physical terms but also spiritually. Just as bread and wine nourish the body, God's Word (spiritual "grain") and the Holy Spirit (spiritual "new wine") nourish and invigorate the soul, leading to spiritual vitality, discernment, and fervent devotion, especially among the younger generation in the renewed covenant. This verse foreshadows the abundant outpouring of the Spirit prophesied elsewhere, empowering the "young men" and "virgins" (e.g., Acts 2:17-18).

Zechariah 9 17 Commentary

Zechariah 9:17 is a poetic and emphatic affirmation of God's inherent perfections and their tangible manifestation as blessings upon His people during the Messianic age. The exclamations, "How great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!" underline that the coming prosperity is rooted not in human merit but in the overflowing character of God Himself. His tov (goodness) refers to His beneficial, life-giving nature, while His yophi (beauty) speaks of His splendor, radiance, and inherent excellence which are delightful to behold and experience. These divine attributes become the source of all flourishing.

The verse then vividly illustrates this blessing through specific, tangible examples: grain and new wine. These were the primary symbols of sustenance and joy in ancient Israel. The prophecy goes beyond mere provision; it describes these agricultural gifts as so abundant and potent that they actively cause the young men to be robust and full of vigor, and the virgins to be radiant and energetic. This paints a picture of complete and overflowing vitality across the community, ensuring physical strength, communal joy, and the vigorous growth of the next generation. It’s a vision of reversal from past hardship to a state of unprecedented well-being and effervescent life under the reign of the righteous King (described in Zechariah 9:9-10). The flourishing extends beyond mere physical well-being to imply spiritual vibrancy and gladness, as these provisions often symbolize spiritual truths in the broader biblical narrative (e.g., Christ as the Bread of Life, the Spirit as new wine).

This verse provides a profound reassurance that when God's King reigns, His people will enjoy true prosperity and delight that stems directly from the goodness and beauty of God's own character. It offers a promise of holistic well-being, abundant provision, and vibrant life.

Practical Examples:

• A believer experiencing supernatural provision during financial difficulty, seeing it as a tangible expression of God's "goodness."
• A youth group finding spiritual energy and vibrancy through deep engagement with God's word (represented by "grain") and the joy of the Holy Spirit (like "new wine").
• A community flourishing not just economically but also relationally and spiritually, attributing their robust health and unity to God's presence and blessing, thus reflecting His "beauty."