Zechariah 8:20. It shall yet come to pass— These things shall be when, or until the people shall come, &c. The until is to be connected with the things just spoken of; that is to say, "Your joy and gladness, which shall succeed your fasts, shall continue, while many people, &c." Because the faith and conversion of the jews in the latter days, will be to the Gentiles as a resurrection from the dead. Houbigant. read more
19. fast of . . . fourth month—On the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, on the ninth day, Jerusalem was taken (Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6; Jeremiah 52:7). It was therefore made a fast day. fifth . . . seventh—(See on Zechariah 7:3; Zechariah 7:3- :). tenth—On the tenth month and tenth day, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the siege began (Jeremiah 52:4). therefore love the truth—or, "only love." English Version is better. God's blessing covenanted to Israel is not made to... read more
20. (Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2). Thus saith the Lord of hosts—a preface needed to assure the Jews, now disheartened by the perils surrounding them, and by the humble aspect of the temple. "Unlikely as what follows may seem to you, Jehovah of hosts, boundless in resources, saith it, therefore it shall be so." Just before Christ's coming, a feeling grew up among the heathen of the unsatisfactoriness of their systems of religion and philosophy; this disposed them favorably towards the religion of the... read more
Zechariah received another message from the Lord Almighty. He promised that in the future the sorrowful fasts that the Jews had observed in captivity would give way to joyful feasts. Thus at the end of this section of messages on hypocritical fasting (chs. 7-8), the Lord provided at least a partial answer to the question that the messengers from Bethel had asked about the traditional fasts (Zechariah 7:3). In addition to the fasts in the fifth and seventh months (Zechariah 7:3; Zechariah 7:5),... read more
E. Kingdom joy and Jewish favor 8:18-23This final section of this part of the book (chs. 7-8) returns full circle to the theme with which it began, namely, the people’s concern about fasting (cf. Zechariah 7:1-7). These messages began after a few Bethelites came to Jerusalem (Zechariah 7:2-7), and they ended with the promise that multitudes of Gentiles representing all languages would come to Jerusalem. The fasting of the past would become feasting in the future. read more
The Lord foretold that people from one of the world’s cities would contact people from another of these cities and would plan to go up to Jerusalem immediately to worship the Lord (cf. Zechariah 7:2). They would do this eagerly, not out of a sense of duty or obligation (cf. Zechariah 2:11; Isaiah 2:1-5; Micah 4:1-5). Many people representing many nations from around the world would come to Jerusalem to pray and worship Yahweh Almighty."Jerusalem is no longer viewed simply as the heart of... read more
Reiteration of God’s Promises concerning JerusalemThe whole chapter is made up of ten short oracles each introduced by the formula, ’Thus saith the Lord of hosts’ (except Zechariah 8:3). God has come to dwell with His people. Happiness and prosperity are in store for Jerusalem if it will do His will. All nations will seek to join in worshipping God in Jerusalem.1. Again] RV ’and’: there is no break in thought between the two chapters 2. I was jealous] better, ’I am jealous.’ The word indicates... read more
(18-23) This fourth section gives at last all that the prophet deigns to answer concerning the fast of the fifth month (Zechariah 7:3), and also concerning the other fasts. On the 9th or 17th of “the fourth” month (Tammuz) Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6-7). On the tenth of “the tenth” month (Tebeth) siege was laid to Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, in the ninth year of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4). As, on account of... read more
(19) “The fast of the fourth [month].”—LXX., after the analogy of Genesis 1:31, renders “the fourth fast,” and so also with the others. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Zechariah 8:20
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass that there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities, and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also."Dummelow summarized the meaning of this passage thus:"The gathering in of the nations was never adequately fulfilled in regard to Jerusalem or the Temple then approaching completion; but the prophecy foretells most... read more