Zechariah 14:3 - Exposition

Shall go forth. God is said to "go forth" when he manifests his power by delivering his people and punishing their enemies (comp. Isaiah 26:21 ; Isaiah 42:13 ; Micah 1:3 ). As when he fought in the day of battle. The Hebrew is in general terms, "as when he fighteth in a day of battle," or, "slaughter;" Septuagint, καθὼς ἡμέρα παρατάξεως αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρα πολέμου , "as a day of his battle in a day of war;" Vulgate, sicut praeliatus est in die certaminis. There is nothing in the text to confine the reference to any one special interposition; it refers rather to the general course of God's providence in defending his people, though, doubtless, the prophet has in his mind the crowning act of mercy at the Red Sea ( Exodus 14:13 , Exodus 14:14 , Exodus 14:25 ), which is so often referred to as a typical deliverance (comp. Isaiah 11:11 ; Jeremiah 16:14 ; Jeremiah 23:8 ; Habakkuk 3:15 ; and above, Zechariah 10:11 ).