Focused Passage

Zechariah 8:18-23

Zion Restored and the Fasts Made Joyful

Jealous love for Zion leads to the LORD's return, restored communal life, strengthened rebuilding, ethical renewal, transformed fasting, and a future in which nations seek the LORD with his people.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

18Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,

19“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”

20This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—

21and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’

22And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”

23This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Original words

Then the wordדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֖וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralcameוַיְהִ֛יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto meאֵלַ֥יH413Preposition | first person common singularsayingלֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 19

Original words

This is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֗וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralsaysאָמַ֞רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularThe fastsצ֣וֹםH6685Noun - masculine singular constructof the fourthהָרְבִיעִ֡יH7243Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular-וְצ֣וֹםH6685Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe fifthהַחֲמִישִׁי֩H2549Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular-וְצ֨וֹםH6685Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe seventhהַשְּׁבִיעִ֜יH7637Article | Number - ordinal masculine singularandוְצ֣וֹםH6685Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe tenth [months]הָעֲשִׂירִ֗יH6224Article | Number - ordinal masculine singularwill becomeיִהְיֶ֤הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartimes of joyלְשָׂשׂ֣וֹןH8342Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularand gladnessוּלְשִׂמְחָ֔הH8057Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularcheerfulטוֹבִ֑יםH2896Adjective - masculine pluralfeastsוּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖יםH4150Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralfor the houseלְבֵית־H1004Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָה֙H3063Noun - proper - masculine singularTherefore you are to loveאֱהָֽבוּ׃פH157Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural[both] truthוְהָאֱמֶ֥תH571Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularand peaceוְהַשָּׁל֖וֹםH7965Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 20

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֥הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֑וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralsaysאָמַ֖רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularPeoplesעַמִּ֔יםH5971Noun - masculine pluralwill yetעֹ֚דH5750Adverb-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativecomeיָבֹ֣אוּH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe residentsוְיֹשְׁבֵ֖יH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructof manyרַבּֽוֹת׃H7227Adjective - feminine pluralcitiesעָרִ֥יםH5892Noun - feminine plural
Verse 21

Original words

and the residentsיֹשְׁבֵי֩H3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructof oneאַחַ֨תH259Number - feminine singularcity will goוְֽהָלְכ֡וּH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositionanotherאַחַ֜תH259Number - feminine singularsayingלֵאמֹ֗רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructLet us goנֵלְכָ֤הH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural. . .הָלוֹךְ֙H1980Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteat once to pleadלְחַלּוֹת֙H2470Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerbeforeפְּנֵ֣יH6440Noun - common plural constructthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand to seekוּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁH1245Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֑וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralIאָֽנִי׃H589Pronoun - first person common singularmyselfגַּם־H1571Conjunctionam goingאֵלְכָ֖הH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Verse 22

Original words

And manyרַבִּים֙H7227Adjective - masculine pluralpeoplesעַמִּ֤יםH5971Noun - masculine pluraland strongעֲצוּמִ֔יםH6099Adjective - masculine pluralnationsוְגוֹיִ֣םH1471Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralwill comeוּבָ֨אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralto seekלְבַקֵּ֛שׁH1245Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֖וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralin Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םH3389Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularand to pleadוּלְחַלּ֖וֹתH2470Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerbeforeפְּנֵ֥יH6440Noun - common plural constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֥הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָאוֹת֒H6635Noun - common pluralsaysאָמַר֮H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularIn thoseהָהֵ֔מָּהH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativedaysבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraltenעֲשָׂרָ֣הH6235Number - masculine singularmenאֲנָשִׁ֔יםH582Noun - masculine pluralfrom the nationsהַגּוֹיִ֑םH1471Article | Noun - masculine pluralof everyמִכֹּ֖לH3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructtongueלְשֹׁנ֣וֹתH3956Noun - common plural constructwill tightlyיַחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙H2388Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralgraspוְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralthe robeבִּכְנַף֩H3671Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof a Jewיְהוּדִ֜יH3064Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אִ֨ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularsayingלֵאמֹ֗רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructLet us goנֵֽלְכָה֙H1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralwith youעִמָּכֶ֔םH5973Preposition | second person masculine pluralforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionwe have heardשָׁמַ֖עְנוּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralthat Godאֱלֹהִ֥יםH430Noun - masculine pluralis with youעִמָּכֶֽם׃סH5973Preposition | second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.