Zechariah 14:1–21

14:1–2 “Behold” introduces a new section of the second oracle (chs. 12–14) and calls attention to something newsworthy or unexpected: Jerusalem will face another exile-like experience. This passage indicates there will be an offensive by the nations against Jerusalem, resulting in great devastation to its inhabitants. This is not a battle subsequent to that of 12:2–9 but another perspective on the same battle, this time looking at what it and the coming of God’s kingdom entail for the entire cosmos. The “day . . . coming” is the same “day” mentioned ten times in chapters 12–13.

The picture in these verses replays the past, when Jerusalem was attacked and captured by the nations in battle (14:2), with “spoil taken” and “divided” in the midst of God’s people (v. 1) and with many of the people being sent “into exile” (v. 2; cf. 2 Kings 25). This earlier attack happened at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BC (cf. Zech. 11:5–6). The “spoil” refers to property captured by an invading army, including prisoners, precious metals, food, livestock, textiles, and garments (e.g., Ezek. 38:13).

Like the earlier destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, the future attack on the city is said to be at the Lord’s initiative (“I will gather all the nations”). The reason is not explicit, but in the context of chapter 13 it probably functions as a refining judgment on account of sin.¹ The raping of women is a common feature of warfare and here depicts its horror and sheer awfulness (cf. Isa. 13:16); it is one of the covenant curses associated with exile in Deuteronomy 28:30. Half of the inhabitants of the city will be taken into exile, but the other half will remain.

14:3 Just when things look desperate, God will go out (presumably from heaven) and fight for his people against the nations who have come against Jerusalem (cf. again 12:2–9). God is depicted as a warrior elsewhere in Zechariah, but whereas earlier passages in chapters 9–14 describe him as using his people as instruments of his judgment (e.g., 9:13–15; 10:5, 7; 12:2–3; 6), here God fights directly (cf. also 6:5, where God sends out his heavenly chariots to bring judgment on the nations). The phrase “as when he fights on a day of battle” points to past victories the Lord won for his people (e.g., Ex. 15:1–21; Josh. 10:14, 42; 23:3; Judg. 4:15; 1 Sam. 7:10). These give assurance that God will defeat the nations again on the coming day.

14:4 The return of the Lord to Jerusalem is a key theme of the book (cf. 1:3; 2:5, 10–11; 4:9–10; 8:3; 9:8, 14). When God comes to save his people, he will shake the heavens and the earth (cf. Hag. 2:6, 21–22). With bold anthropomorphism, God’s “feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives,” and it “shall be split in two from east to west.” The Mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem, is a ridge about 2.5 miles (4 km) long that runs in a north/south direction. Significantly, when the glory of the Lord departed from the temple and Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s vision, the glory “stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city” (Ezek. 11:23). Here Zechariah envisages the Lord’s return by way of the same path (cf. Ezek. 43:2). It is also significant that Zechariah describes the location of the mountain as “on the east,” since the earlier sanctuaries of Eden, the tabernacle, and the temple were all entered from the east. The city of Jerusalem is envisaged as God’s sanctuary.

God’s arrival will split the Mount of Olives in two: “One half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.” This results in the formation of a “very wide valley” through which God’s people will flee. The verb “split” (baqaʻ) is used to describe the parting of the waters of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21, suggesting the escape from Jerusalem in Zechariah 14:5 is like another exodus-salvation.

14:5 The valley that is formed will become an escape route that extends to Azal, the location of which is unknown, though it must lie to the east of Jerusalem. The future escape is likened to when the people “fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah,” an event that occurred more than two hundred years earlier and clearly left a lasting impression (Amos 1:1).

After providing salvation for the people, the Lord will return to Jerusalem. The description “my God” underscores Zechariah’s personal relationship with the Lord. He will return to Jerusalem with “all the holy ones,” yet it is not certain who these “holy ones” are. They could be the heavenly host of angels (e.g., Zech. 6:1–8; Deut. 33:2; Ps. 89:5, 7; Dan. 8:13) or the people who, having endured the attack on Jerusalem, are now refined, cleansed, and saved and now return to inhabit Jerusalem as “holy” (e.g., Lev. 21:7–8; Num. 16:5, 7; 2 Chron. 35:3).

14:6–7 The Hebrew of verse 6 is difficult to translate, and the ESV follows the ancient versions: “There shall be no light, cold, or frost.” An alternative translation is, “Splendid ones shall congeal,” where “splendid ones” refers to the heavenly bodies (sun, moon, and stars) that become stationary on a “unique day” (v. 7).² This may draw on the account of the Lord fighting for his people at Gibeon, when the sun stood still and the moon stopped (Josh. 10:12–14). In any case, God’s return to Jerusalem will disrupt the present created order. Indeed, the language of these verses echoes the Genesis creation account (cf. Zech. 12:1). Zechariah envisages a new creation, with “neither day nor night” but instead a single day of “light.” When evening comes, “there shall be light” instead of darkness (14:7; cf. Isa. 60:19–20; Rev. 21:25; 22:5).

14:8 In the same way that life-giving water flowed from Eden (Gen. 2:10), the coming day will bring a new supply of “living waters” to the world, flowing from Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 36:8–9; Ezek. 47:1–12; Joel 3:18).³ The phrase “living waters” connotes waters that are fresh (not stagnant or contaminated) and give life. The picture of the waters’ dividing into two and flowing “to the eastern sea” (the Dead Sea) and the “western sea” (the Mediterranean) indicates a great volume of water (double that of Ezekiel’s vision in 47:8–12, which flows only to the Dead Sea). Since Jerusalem’s water supply often dried up in summer and it was common practice to cut off a city’s water supply during a siege (cf. Isa. 7:3; 22:11), the statement that it “shall continue in summer as in winter” also speaks of a great supply of water and pictures the Lord’s blessing.

14:9 The statement that the Lord “will be king over all the earth” forms the climax of Zechariah’s vision of the future—God’s kingship is basic to the establishment of his kingdom. His salvation of Jerusalem will prove his reign and bring to fulfillment earlier hopes expressed in the book.

The expression “The LORD will be one” is a citation of the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4—“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one”—as an expression of God’s uniqueness; he is the only one who is truly God. In addition, since the names of the idols will be banished (cf. Zech. 13:2), God’s “name” will be the “only name,” a further expression of his uniqueness, implying that “on that day” he will be the only one worshiped in all the earth.

14:10 The earth will be transformed and Jerusalem will be elevated from its surrounding territory. The cities of Geba and Rimmon represent, respectively, the northern and southern boundaries of the land of Judah. Following the ESV, the land will be flattened and “Jerusalem shall remain aloft.”⁴ The phrase “on its site” is also found in 12:6, where it is translated “in its place”; in both instances it seems to mean Jerusalem shall be restored to “its rightful place.” This is in keeping with the hopes of the earlier prophets for Jerusalem (e.g., Isa. 2:1–4; Ezek. 40:1–2; Mic. 4:1–5).

Several landmarks of the preexilic city are identified, but it is not possible to determine with confidence the precise location of them all.⁵ The “Gate of Benjamin” was located on the northern side of the city to give access to the territory of Benjamin (cf. Jer. 37:13; 38:7). The “former gate” is not otherwise mentioned in the OT but may refer to the main gate on the east side of the city. The “Corner Gate” is thought to be on the west side of the city (cf. 2 Kings 14:13; 2 Chron. 26:9; Jer. 31:38). The location of the “Tower of Hananel” is unknown but may be west of the Benjamin Gate at the northwestern corner of the Temple Mount (cf. Neh. 3:1; 12:39; Jer. 31:38). Finally, the “king’s winepresses” are not mentioned elsewhere but may be on the south of the city near the “King’s Pool” and the “king’s garden” (cf. Neh. 2:14; 3:15). The prophet Jeremiah also envisions Jerusalem being rebuilt “from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate” (Jer. 31:38). Like Zechariah, the future city of Jerusalem is said to be “sacred” or “holy to the LORD” (Jer. 31:40; cf. Zech. 14:20).

14:11 Those who had fled the city in verse 5 shall return to dwell in it—“It shall be inhabited” (cf. 1:17; 2:4). Never again will there be a “decree of utter destruction” (Hb. herem, cf. ESV mg., “refers to things devoted [or set apart] to the Lord [or by the Lord] for destruction”). In Deuteronomy, herem is associated with the removal of the Canaanites from the Promised Land to cleanse it from the contamination associated with their idolatry (cf. Deut. 7:25–26; 20:17–18). This implies that God’s action against Jerusalem in Zechariah 14:1–2 is to cleanse it from the contamination of sin. Having been cleansed, it will be inhabited by the “holy ones” (v. 5) and “shall dwell in security,” implying military protection or agricultural abundance (cf. 2:5; 3:9–10; Ps. 46:5).

14:12–13 Further details are given about how God will fight against the nations who have come to “wage war against Jerusalem” (cf. 12:4–6; 14:3). First, he will strike them with “plague” so that their “flesh . . . eyes . . . and their tongues will rot.” To some extent, this recalls the plagues God sent on the Egyptians in the exodus to liberate his people (Exodus 7–12). Here the plague incapacitates the warriors, removing their ability to see and to speak. This presumably contributes to the “great panic . . . [that] shall fall on them,” which is also attributed to the Lord and expresses his sovereignty in judgment. The panic results in the nations fighting’ one another (“The hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other” refers to military activity; cf. Ezek. 38:21). Earlier in Israel’s history, God struck their enemies with fear so that they fought one another (e.g., Judg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 14:15–20).

14:14 The statement “even Judah will fight at Jerusalem” is ambiguous, since the preposition “at” can also be translated “against” (cf. ESV mg.). This verse should be read against the background of 12:2–6 (cf. comments on 12:2; 12:5–6). While Judah is initially caught up with the nations gathering against Jerusalem, she sees God at work and turns to fight for Jerusalem against the nations (12:5–6).

Just as Israel plundered the Egyptians in the exodus (Ex. 12:35–36), so God’s defeat of the nations will result in their wealth being collected—“gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.” This reverses the situation described in Zechariah 14:1 (cf. similarly Isa. 60:4–14; Ezek. 38:12–13; 39:10; Hag. 2:6–9).

14:15 In addition to the plague on the peoples (v. 12), a destroying “plague” will strike the animals used in war. The “horse” was used in combat, either mounted or with chariots containing archers. Much damage was done by trampling enemy troops (cf. comments on 10:3; 10:4–5). The next three animals (“mules . . . camels . . . donkeys”) were used for transporting supplies. The other “beasts” (alternatively “cattle”) probably refer to livestock used as a food resource (e.g., 2 Kings 3:9). Reference to the “camps” indicates they were animals used by an army.

14:16 Verses 16–19 address the aftermath of the battle and the two different outcomes for “everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem.” The first outcome is that of survivors who recognize God as king (cf. v. 9) and go “year after year” (annually) to worship the Lord of hosts and keep the “Feast of Booths” (or “Tabernacles” or Sukkoth). This was a seven-day festival held in the seventh month, characterized by joy and thanksgiving for the harvest and God’s goodness. The “booths,” or tabernacles, reminded the people of the tents the Israelites lived in when they came out of Egypt (cf. Lev. 23:33–43). The festival is elsewhere associated with the temple and includes the foreigner’s sharing in the blessings of God (Deut. 16:13–15; 1 Kings 8:2, 41–43, 65; Ezra 3:1–4). Including “all the nations” in worship mirrors the end of Zechariah 8 (cf. comment on 8:23).

14:17–19 The outcome for those who do not “worship the King” (v. 16) will be “no rain” (vv. 17–18) and the “plague” (v. 18) as “punishment” (v. 19; cf. vv. 12–15).⁶ Lack of rain would devastate the harvest and is a classic covenant curse (e.g., Deut. 28:22–24). The “family of Egypt” (Zech. 14:18) are singled out, possibly because they were not so directly dependent on rain because of the Nile, which flooded annually. Alternatively, they may be singled out to indicate that this salvation will be a new exodus, with Egypt representing the enemy who must recognize God’s kingship or suffer his punishment.

14:20–21 The book of Zechariah ends with a picture of holiness spreading from God’s presence among his people (cf. v. 5; 2:12–13). The turban of the high priest had an inscription “Holy to the LORD” engraved on a gold plate (Ex. 28:36–38). This same holiness will extend to the “bells of the horses” (Zech. 14:20). These bells attached to the harness and had a number of functions: to ward off insects; to govern cadence; to create white noise to block out the heinous sounds of battle; to alert others to their arrival on a roadway; and, if inscribed, to identify its owner so the horse could be returned.⁷ Given the consistent association of the horse with war throughout the book, the bells were probably considered unclean, and this statement about their holiness perhaps speaks of the end of war (cf. 9:10). Zechariah mentions horses ten times throughout the book, beginning with the first night vision, so this is a fitting note on which to end.

Similarly, the holiness associated with the “bowls before the altar” (cf. Ex. 27:3; Num. 4:14) will spread to the “pots in the house of the LORD” (the temple) and to “every pot in Jerusalem and Judah” (Zech. 14:21). These pots were used for sacrifice, presumably by those who came to participate in the Feast of Booths (vv. 16–19).

The word “trader” can have two senses. The sixth vision of the flying basket (5:5–11) indicated trade was an area in which wickedness and idolatry impacted the postexilic community, thus the removal of the “trader” indicates the community will be cleansed (cf. 13:2–6). Alternatively, the word “trader” can also be translated “Canaanite” (cf. ESV mg.). The Canaanites were renowned for their idolatry, and this promises its removal. In either case, this prophecy looks forward to the time when God will return and everything impure will be removed from the temple and the land.